The family of Charlie Kirk has filed a Notice of Claim against Utah Valley University, alleging the university ignored a specific warning about rooftop security — and that failure cost Kirk his life.
Brett Parkinson, counsel for the Kirk family, said the case was entirely preventable.
“Charlie Kirk was violently and publicly targeted while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University. His loss was entirely preventable and, in fact, would not have happened had the State of Utah and UVU followed through on their stated security promises, which included protecting the rooftops surrounding the quad where Charlie was speaking.”
The Notice of Claim — reviewed by The Daily Wire — names the State of Utah, Utah Valley University, the UVU Police Department, UVU Police Chief Jeffrey Long, and then-UVU President Astrid Tuminez. It preserves the Kirk family’s right to pursue legal action.
The most damning allegation: UVU police were specifically warned about accessible rooftops near Kirk’s speaking location — and they promised to secure them. They didn’t.
According to the filing, Turning Point USA received a message from a student warning that there was “student roof access pretty close to where [Charlie Kirk] will be set up” at the Sorensen Student Center. Staircases led directly to walkways on the roof.
When a TPUSA official forwarded the warning to UVU Police Chief Jeffrey Long and asked whether the area could be secured — or whether a member of Kirk’s security team should cover it — Long responded with three words:
“I got you covered.”
The accused later accessed a nearby rooftop and took the shot. FBI video released after the incident shows the suspect climbing onto a rooftop before the incident and fleeing across the roof afterward.
The filing points out that neglecting rooftop security was particularly reckless given the political environment at the time.
“Mr. Kirk’s visit occurred when political violence had hit a fever pitch,” the notice reads. “Famously, President Trump was targeted by a rooftop sniper during the 2024 presidential campaign.”
“Another would-be attacker of President Trump was intercepted on a golf course only two months later,” the filing continues. “Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi’s husband was brutally attacked in their California home. And a state legislator and her husband were ruthlessly taken from us in their home in Minnesota. It was in this environment political danger that the UVU Parties chose to host Charlie and the Tour.”
The notice alleges multiple additional security failures:
- UVU assigned only six campus police officers to an outdoor event attended by roughly 3,000 people — despite requests for additional officers. Long confirmed after the incident that six officers were assigned, along with some plainclothes officers and Kirk’s private security team.
- No real-time CCTV monitoring — significant given that video later showed the suspect moving across a rooftop before the incident. The filing argues that real-time monitoring could have alerted security personnel and prevented the tragedy.
- No drones deployed to monitor surrounding rooftops, despite the security challenges presented by an outdoor event surrounded by elevated positions.
- No written security plan for the event and no security briefing beforehand, according to the filing.
There have also been questions raised about UVU’s own internal review of the security failures. UVU announced in September 2025 that it would conduct a comprehensive, independent review of its planning and response to the event. The review process, however, has taken months and has come with a significant price tag.
By May 2026, UVU had spent $242,431 on the review — and it remains unclear how much more has been spent since then.
UVU’s new president, Jon Anderson, has publicly defended the delay, saying the school “wanted it to be as complete and correct as possible, rather than fast.”
Parkinson said the alleged failures by UVU “not only robbed Charlie Kirk of his life, but also robbed his family of their husband, father, son, and brother, with impacts that will compound for the rest of their lives.”
“Justice and accountability under the law are key tenets of the American judicial system,” he added.
The family has not specified a dollar amount for damages at this stage, but the notice indicates that potential damages could be substantial.
The charges remain allegations. The case has not been proven in court.
