Charlie Kirk's family blamed Utah officials for failing to prevent the conservative activist's assassination at a state university, in a wrongful death notice announced Wednesday that presages a possible lawsuit. Attorneys for the family said Kirk's death resulted from a string of "reckless decisions" by officials at Utah Valley University that left him exposed to a rooftop sniper, who fired a fatal shot from more than 400 feet away on Sept. 10, 2025. The university has faced harsh criticism for a lack of key safety measures on the day of the shooting. Kirk, 31, had been debating students in an outdoor courtyard surrounded by tall buildings and with several thousand people in attendance. An AP review following the shooting showed the campus in Orem did not use several public safety practices that have become standard safeguards at events around the country.
Campus police staffing was far below recommended levels for a school that size. They also did not fly a drone to monitor rooftops or coordinate with local law enforcement to secure the event attended by about 3,000 people. There were no bag checks or metal detectors. "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," Kirk family attorney D. Loren Washburn wrote in the notice to state and university officials. The document, dated Sept. 9, a day before the one-year anniversary of Kirk's death, is a required step under state law before his family can file a formal claim or lawsuit. It names the university and its then-president, Astrid Tuminez; the campus police department and its chief, Jeffrey Long; and the state of Utah.
A spokesperson for Utah Valley University said the school was aware of the notice and would address it "consistent with our established processes." "Our focus remains on supporting our campus community," rep Sharon Turner said. Attorneys for Kirk's family alleged additional lapses by officials, including not conducting an adequate risk assessment before approving the event, failing to establish a secure perimeter and having no first responders immediately available, resulting in Kirk being taken to a nearby hospital in a private vehicle rather than an ambulance after he was shot.
"Tragically, the UVU Parties took none of these safety measures—steps only they had the authority to take—resulting in a situation that rendered Mr. Kirk helpless before his assassin," Washburn wrote. State law allows heirs or personal representatives of people who die to file lawsuits seeking damages if the death was caused by a wrongful act or negligence. The notice from Kirk's family did not specify what damages they may seek.
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