Utah Valley University Report Finds Critical Security Gaps Before Charlie Kirk Shooting

Utah Valley University’s independent review of the September 2025 killing of Charlie Kirk found that campus safety policies and protocols were applied inconsistently, and called for stronger coordination and more stringent security at major events. The review cited planning gaps, including no documented line-of-sight assessment or full security walk-through, and said allowing Turning Point USA to choose the outdoor venue and manage ticketing limited the university’s control and access to attendance information. It found that no UVU employee or agent acted in bad faith or with willful disregard for safety. Kirk’s family’s attorney said the findings confirmed the university’s security was understaffed and unprepared, and called for accountability. UVU said it has created a chief public safety officer position and is improving event planning, ticketing, training and coordination with outside law enforcement.
The event began with a July 2025 request from UVU’s TPUSA student chapter for Kirk to speak at the Fountain Courtyard. In an August questionnaire, TPUSA projected about 600 attendees and reported no security concerns.
The review said TPUSA had raised concerns about the pedestrian walkway above the speaking area. On the morning of the event, its security team raised the issue again; Police Chief Jeff Long said officers would arrive by 11 a.m., and UVU police cleared the area by directing people away.
A face-to-face meeting between UVU Police Chief Jeff Long and TPUSA’s private security team had been arranged for 11 a.m.—less than 90 minutes before the shooting—but did not take place.
The report described the alleged perpetrator as unaffiliated with UVU.
Publishers
25
Articles
130
Reach
155