Security lapses at Utah campus where Charlie Kirk was killed, review says
An independent review has pointed to a number of security shortcomings at the Utah campus where conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot dead last year.
A report conducted by independent reviewers has brought to light several security shortcomings at Utah Valley University (UVU) where conservative activist Charlie Kirk was tragically killed on September 10, 2025. The report finds that UVU failed to conduct a thorough written security assessment or an event action plan, instead relying on Kirk’s conservative organization Turning Point USA to handle key decisions.
Campus officials had expressed security concerns about holding the event in an outdoor venue surrounded by tall buildings, presenting alternative indoor venues to the organization, but their suggestions were overridden. Despite these "significant protective operations considerations," no line-of-sight assessment was documented in the planning process.
Moreover, there was a failure in coordination between UVU police and Turning Point USA’s private security team; a proposed meeting between the university’s police chief and Turning Point security did not occur. The reviewers noted that this absence of a joint security briefing and walk-through was a missed opportunity to identify risks, clarify responsibilities, and consider additional security measures.
However, the report concluded that no university employee or representative acted in bad faith or showed "willful and wanton disregard" for anyone's safety. Kirk's family, who have previously accused the university of serious security failures, find the report’s findings to be a validation of their concerns. His family’s lawyer, Brett Parkinson, stated that the findings reinforce their demands for accountability.
The university and law enforcement were criticized for failing to implement standard security procedures such as drone surveillance or bag checks and metal detectors. The university president, Jon Anderson, acknowledged the need to learn from these findings and implement their recommendations. Turning Point USA, in reference to the report, echoed the university’s statement.
The unidentified alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder in connection with Kirk’s death, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
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