Key facts
- Turning Point USA insisted on an outdoor location for Charlie Kirk's speech at Utah Valley University, despite security concerns.
- An independent report commissioned by UVU found that TPUSA's decision created significant protective operations considerations.
- UVU police chief Jeff Long's attempt to meet with TPUSA's security detail before the event did not occur.
- The university asked TPUSA for an estimated attendance figure, but the organization never provided one.
- The report stated that UVU deferred key security decisions to the TPUSA field representative.
- Charlie Kirk was shot and killed by a sniper during the outdoor event on September 10, 2025.
An independent report 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, released on Friday, 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, including security supervisor Dan Flood, should have occurred hours before the event. While Chief Long texted 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. This deference, the report said, placed the event in a more difficult-to-control area and limited UVU's ability to obtain reliable attendance information.
The report concluded that no UVU employee or agent acted in bad faith or with willful disregard for safety. However, it also stated that UVU should have retained decision-making authority over key security issues.
In response, Kirk family attorney Brett Parkinson asserted that UVU, as the host, assumed responsibility for the safety of attendees, including Charlie Kirk. UVU President Jon Anderson stated the university would learn from the report's findings and implement its recommendations, acknowledging the need for an honest examination of policies and practices.
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." UVU acknowledged the notice and stated it addresses legal matters consistent with established processes.
Tyler Robinson, a Utah resident, has been charged with aggravated murder in connection with Kirk's killing and has pleaded not guilty. No trial date has been set.