Family files claim against UVU

Charlie Kirk's family filed a notice of claim against Utah Valley University, alleging security failures led to his wrongful death on Sept. 10, 2025.

Trump shooting should have warned them

The filing notes the rooftop threat should have been obvious given Trump's attempted assassination by a rooftop shooter the previous year.

“The risk of a rooftop shooter should have been especially top-of-mind given the attempted assassination of President Trump”

Police chief promised rooftop security

TPUSA organizers warned UVU Police Chief Jeffrey Long about rooftop access near Kirk's speaking location. Long replied, "I got you covered."

“I got you covered”

Shot from unguarded rooftop

Kirk, 31 and a father of two, was killed in the campus courtyard. A lone gunman fired from the Losee Center rooftop across the clearing.

Murder was entirely preventable

Kirk family attorney Brett Parkinson said the murder wouldn't have happened if UVU had followed through on security promises to protect rooftops.

“His murder was entirely preventable and, in fact, would not have happened had the State of Utah and UVU followed through on their stated security promises”

Kirk faced constant death threats

As TPUSA founder and Trump ally, Kirk publicly discussed receiving death threats. "People want to murder us," he said in May 2025.

“We get death threats. People want to murder us.”

Political violence was rising

The filing references multiple Trump assassination attempts, the hammer attack on Paul Pelosi, and murders of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband.

No written security plan existed

Campus police allegedly had no written security plan and held no advance briefing, despite Kirk's high profile and known threats against him.

Walked into a fishbowl

Kirk spoke in an outdoor quad surrounded by tall buildings. UVU could have moved the event indoors or to a more secure location.

Only six officers for 3,000 people

Just six campus police officers were assigned to the event, which drew roughly 3,000 spectators. Chief Long's request for more was allegedly denied.

No ambulance on standby

Planning was so deficient that first responders weren't available when Kirk was shot. He was transported to the hospital in a private vehicle, not an ambulance.

No real-time camera monitoring

Security footage wasn't monitored in real time. After-the-fact review showed the shooter running to a "sniper's nest" on the Losee Building roof.

“If such footage had been monitored in real-time, Kirk's tragic death could have been avoided.”

Rooftop known for student access

Despite warnings, the Losee Center rooftop wasn't secured. Students were known to frequent it, leaving behind beer bottles and other trash.