Crowds gather at UVU courtyard during the event, 10 September 2025.
A comprehensive independent review released on Sunday highlighted a series of security failures at Utah Valley University that preceded the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on 10 September 2025.
The report notes that UVU never conducted a formal written security assessment for the event, nor did it prepare an on‑site action plan, leaving crucial decisions in the hands of the event’s organisers, Turning Point USA.
Kirk’s aides insisted on the campus courtyard as the venue, overriding campus officials’ warnings about the surrounding tall buildings and the absence of a line‑of‑sight assessment. For more detail, refer to the report.
The 31‑year‑old activist was addressing a crowd of roughly 3,000 people in the courtyard when a gunman opened fire from a nearby rooftop, shooting Kirk in the neck. He was rushed to the hospital but later pronounced dead.
Kirk’s family has previously accused the university of serious security failures and filed a wrongful‑death notice. The family’s lawyer, Brett Parkinson, said the independent report confirmed their concerns and called for accountability from UVU leadership and law enforcement. Turning Point USA, on its part, cited Parkinson’s statement in response to the findings.
UVU President Jon Anderson said the university must "learn from the findings of this review, and follow through on its recommendations". The report recommends comprehensive security measures for future campus events, including line‑of‑sight assessments, joint police‑private security briefings, and the use of scanning equipment and drone surveillance.
Critics say UVU police failed to implement common security procedures such as rooftop drone monitoring and bag checks before the event. The review also notes that a meeting between the university’s police chief and Turning Point security that had been scheduled did not occur, missing an opportunity to clarify responsibilities and mitigate risks.
