Key facts
- Charlie Kirk's family intends to sue Utah Valley University and the State of Utah.
- The lawsuit alleges inadequate security led to Kirk's fatal shooting on September 10, 2025.
- The family claims the university ignored warnings about securing rooftops overlooking the event.
- Tyler Robinson is accused of shooting Kirk and has pleaded not guilty.
- Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Robinson.
The family of conservative activist Charlie Kirk plans to sue Utah Valley University and the State of Utah, alleging that inadequate security measures contributed to his fatal shooting on September 10, 2025. In a legal notice filed a day before the one-year anniversary of his death, lawyers for the family accused the university and state officials of "stunning failures and reckless decisions" that created a "foreseeable danger" to Kirk.
The notice alleges that Kirk's Turning Point USA event at the university campus was not properly secured or monitored, making him an easy target. The family claims the university failed to conduct a meaningful security assessment, assign enough police officers, and have an ambulance on site. They also allege the university ignored warnings about securing the rooftops surrounding the quad where Kirk was speaking, noting the risk of a rooftop shooter should have been heightened given the attempted assassination of President Trump the previous year.
Charlie Kirk, 31, was speaking to a crowd of thousands when he was shot and killed by a gunman positioned on a roof. Tyler Robinson, 23, is accused of the shooting and has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder and six other charges. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, alleging Robinson targeted Kirk for his views on LGBTQ+ issues, a motive his defense attorney disputes.
Utah Valley University stated it was aware of the claim and addresses legal matters consistent with its processes, adding its focus remains on supporting its campus community.