UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY – A report released Friday by outside consultants identified serious security shortcomings at Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem, Utah, that preceded the September 10, 2025, rooftop sniper attack that killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Key findings
The review found UVU did not conduct a formal risk assessment, failed to produce a written event‑action plan, and left critical decision‑making to Turning Point USA, the organization that scheduled Kirk’s appearance. University officials had voiced concerns in an August 2025 meeting about holding the event in an outdoor courtyard surrounded by tall buildings, but a Turning Point representative insisted on the location.
According to the report, the planning process omitted a documented line‑of‑sight assessment, a pre‑event briefing, and a walk‑through with security stakeholders. Coordination with Kirk’s private security team and local law‑enforcement partners was also lacking.
Security gaps on the day of the event
On the day of the gathering, about 3,000 people were present in the courtyard when a sniper perched on a rooftop more than 400 feet (122 meters) away opened fire, striking Kirk. Campus police did not deploy a drone to monitor rooftops, nor were bag checks or metal detectors used. The university’s police chief sent a text to Turning Point’s security supervisor requesting a meeting hours before the event, but no meeting occurred.
The report also noted that UVU’s police force consisted of only 13 sworn officers at the time—insufficient for a university of roughly 50,000 students and large public events.
University response and next steps
UVU President Jon Anderson said the university must “learn from the findings of this review, and follow through on its recommendations.” The report contains nearly 150 recommendations, including hiring a dedicated police sergeant for campus events, establishing clear criteria for moving events indoors, and appointing a chief public‑safety officer to coordinate with emergency‑response agencies.
Anderson added that UVU has already made “meaningful progress in strengthening campus safety over the past year,” citing the hiring of additional campus police officers and a new chief public‑safety officer.
Family’s wrongful‑death claim
Kirk’s family has filed a wrongful‑death notice, accusing UVU of “reckless decisions” that they say hastened his death. Their attorney, Brett Parkinson, emphasized that the university assumed responsibility for the safety of all attendees, including Kirk, and called for accountability for the identified shortcomings.
Broader context
Kirk’s killing is being described as a watershed moment in a wave of political violence in the United States. President Donald Trump, who has survived multiple assassination attempts in the past three years, has repeatedly underscored the need for robust security for public figures.
The UVU review echoes an Associated Press investigation that found the campus did not employ several standard public‑safety practices for large events. The university’s planned reforms aim to bring UVU in line with best‑practice standards nationwide.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
