Key facts
- Turning Point USA insisted on an outdoor venue for Charlie Kirk's speech at Utah Valley University, overriding campus security concerns.
- An independent report found UVU deferred key security decisions to TPUSA, including venue selection.
- UVU police chief Jeff Long's planned meeting with TPUSA security did not occur.
- Charlie Kirk was shot and killed by a sniper during the outdoor event on September 10, 2025.
- The report concluded no UVU employee acted in bad faith or with willful disregard for safety.
An independent review commissioned by Utah Valley University (UVU) found that Turning Point USA (TPUSA) insisted on holding a speech by its leader, Charlie Kirk, outdoors, despite security concerns raised by university officials and police. Kirk, 31, was fatally shot by a sniper during the event on September 10, 2025.
The 158-page report stated that UVU staff had recommended moving the event to a more secure indoor location weeks before Kirk's death. However, TPUSA insisted on an outdoor venue, which the report noted created "significant protective operations considerations."
According to the report, a face-to-face briefing and walkthrough between UVU police chief Jeff Long and the TPUSA protection detail should have occurred shortly before the event. While Chief Long texted TPUSA security supervisor Dan Flood to meet, the meeting did not take place.
The university also requested an estimated attendance figure from TPUSA, which was responsible for ticketing, but never received one. The report indicated that UVU deferred several key security decisions, including venue selection and ticketing, to the TPUSA field representative, despite UVU staff raising concerns.
The report concluded that no UVU employee or agent acted in bad faith or with willful disregard for safety, but stated that UVU should have retained decision-making authority over key security issues.
Kirk's family plans to sue the university, alleging in a legal notice that the outdoor setup in a location surrounded by tall buildings was akin to placing him in a "fishbowl."
Tyler Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder in connection with Kirk's killing.