The family of Charlie Kirk attributed responsibility to Utah officials for their failure to prevent the assassination of the prominent conservative activist at a state university, as stated by a wrongful death notice released Wednesday that suggests potential litigation may follow.
Following the incident, Long reported that his department had deployed six officers to manage the event and collaborated with Kirk’s private security contingent, which consisted of eight personnel. Subsequently, the school announced plans to augment its police department in response to the shooting. The university has come under heavy fire for failing to take important safety precautions on the day of the incident. Legal representatives acting on behalf of Kirk’s family contended that government officials committed further oversights, encompassing the failure to execute a comprehensive risk evaluation before granting event authorization, the neglect to institute appropriate security boundaries, and the absence of emergency medical personnel positioned for immediate response, which consequently necessitated Kirk’s transportation to an adjacent medical facility via private automobile rather than through emergency ambulance services following the shooting incident.
Kirk was exposed to a rooftop sniper who fired a deadly shot from more than 400 feet away on September 10, 2025, according to the family’s attorneys, as a result of a series of “reckless decisions” made by Utah Valley University administrators.
Kirk family to pursue legal action after Utah officials failed to prevent activist’s killing: 5 things to know
A subsequent examination conducted by the Associated Press in the aftermath of the shooting revealed that the campus situated in Orem had neglected to implement numerous public safety protocols that have become customary protective measures at gatherings throughout the nation. The campus police force was substantially understaffed relative to the recommended complement for an institution of comparable magnitude. Additionally, no baggage screening procedures or metal detection equipment were in place. Loren Washburn articulated the following position.
Kirk, 31, had been engaged in a debate with students within an outdoor courtyard that was enclosed by towering structures and drew an audience of several thousand attendees. Furthermore, they did not deploy unmanned aerial vehicles to survey rooftops or establish coordination with regional law enforcement agencies to secure the event, which accommodated approximately 3,000 participants.
“The risk of a rooftop shooter should have been especially top-of-mind given the attempted assassination of President Trump, Charlie Kirk’s close friend and political ally, by a rooftop shooter the previous year,” according to a notice submitted to state and university officials, Kirk family attorney D.
