Kirk Family Signals plan to Sue Over Utah Campus Killing

Charlie Kirk’s family says it intends to pursue legal action over the death of the conservative activist at a Utah campus, alleging that Utah Valley University (UVU) failed to take sufficient steps to prevent the shooting.

The family’s lawyers have filed a notice of claim that will preserve the right to bring a wrongful-death and survivor lawsuit. The document describes what it calls “stunning failures and reckless decisions” by UVU that, it alleges, left Kirk unable to escape a rooftop attacker.

Assassination During Turning Point Tour

Kirk, the co-founder of the conservative student group Turning Point USA, was shot dead on 10 September 2025 while speaking at an outdoor event at UVU in Orem, Utah. Authorities said the gunman fired from the rooftop of a campus building as Kirk addressed a crowd of about 3,000 people.

Prosecutors later said the shooter was on the roof of the Losee Center for Student Success, roughly 415 feet from the location where Kirk was speaking.

UVU was the first stop on Turning Point USA’s nationwide campus tour, branded the “American Comeback Tour”. In the notice, Kirk’s lawyers argue that the event carried a heightened risk given the history of political violence involving high-profile figures.

Claims Of Security Failures

The notice alleges UVU did not carry out a “meaningful risk assessment” before approving the outdoor venue, and that it did not provide enough security personnel. UVU police had previously said six campus officers were assigned to the event.

It also contends the university failed to take measures that could have helped stop the attack, including monitoring the event in real time. The document points to surveillance material shown during a preliminary hearing in the criminal case against the alleged shooter, Tyler Robinson. That footage, according to the notice, showed a person running across the roof toward what one police officer described as a “sniper’s pad”.

Kirk’s family further alleges UVU ignored a warning it said Turning Point USA shared in advance about rooftop access on the campus.

The notice says a representative of Turning Point USA texted UVU Police Chief Jeffrey Long, stating there was student access to a roof close to where Kirk would be positioned. It alleges the group asked whether the area could be controlled or whether security staff from Turning Point USA could assist. According to the notice, Long replied that he was “covered”.

Kirk’s lawyers argue that the response led the group to believe UVU would address the risk of rooftop access and similar threats without further involvement from Turning Point USA.

University Names Under Consideration

The notice identifies potential defendants as UVU; the State of Utah; the UVU Police Department; Chief Long; Astrid Tuminez, who was president at the time of the killing; and potentially other parties.

The prospective plaintiffs listed in the notice include Kirk’s estate, his wife Erika Kirk and their two young children.

In a statement to ABC News, Brett Parkinson, counsel for the Kirk family, said the murder could have been avoided had UVU and the state followed through on security commitments, including protecting rooftops around the area where Kirk spoke. He said the claim preserves the family’s right to seek accountability through the courts.

After the shooting, Chief Long said he coordinated with Kirk’s private security team to establish protocols and stated that six campus officers, including some in plain clothes, were working the event. UVU later said it could not answer specific questions about the security plan, directing ABC News instead to a page on its website. That page stated that Kirk’s lead security staff coordinated with Chief Long on measures and that Kirk’s team had previously visited the university in 2019 with Turning Point USA.

Separately, Tuminez said UVU would commission a comprehensive independent review of the incident and said the findings would be used to improve safety and preparedness across Utah higher education.

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17 September 2026