Erika Kirk’s legal filing alleges glaring miss by campus police before husband Charlie’s assassination
Por Isabel Keane — – World RSS Feed
Erika Kirk’s legal filing alleges glaring miss by campus police before husband Charlie’s assassination
Charlie Kirk’s family claims university officials failed to take safety measures that would have prevented his assassination
Isabel Keane in New York Wednesday 16 September 2026 14:24 EDT
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The family of Charlie Kirk has filed a notice that they intend to sue Utah Valley University, claiming that a “series of stunning failures and reckless decisions” led to the conservative activist’s assassination during an event on campus last year.
People who worked for Kirk, the 31-year-old Turning Point USA founder, flagged rooftop access at a nearby building as a concern ahead of the September 10, 2025 speaking engagement, but the university’s chief of police told them they were “covered.”
“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,” the family’s attorney, D. Loren Washburn, wrote in the September 9, 2026 filing.
Turning Point USA organizers told UVU Police Chief Jeffrey Long they learned the roof of the Sorenson Center, near where Kirk would speak, was accessible.
“If this is true, it would be nice to either have it controlled access or allow one of my guys to be there as well,” someone at TPUSA wrote to the chief. “If possible.”
open image in gallery“I got you covered,” Long replied, according to the filing.
“This led TPUSA to reasonably conclude that UVU had a plan to address the identified risk and other similar risks (most obviously the risk from other rooftops) without TPUSA involvement,” the notice claims.
The Sorenson Center was just west of the Losee Center, where Kirk’s alleged killer, 23-year-old Tyler Robinson, shot and killed him from. Kirk was debating students in a courtyard surrounded by a crowd of about 3,000 people when he was shot from a rooftop more than 400 feet away.
The notice of wrongful death was filed September 9, a day before the first anniversary of Kirk’s death. Under Utah law, the notice is required before the family can file a formal claim or lawsuit.
The legal filing names Utah Valley University and its then-president, Astrid Tuminez, the university’s police department, its police chief and the state of Utah.
open image in galleryThe family’s attorneys allege officials did not conduct an adequate risk assessment, establish a secure perimeter or ensure first responders were readily available.
After Kirk was shot, he was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle, instead of an ambulance, the notice claims.
“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,” the family’s lawyer wrote.
Six university police officers staffed the event, coordinating with Kirk’s eight-person private security team.
The Utah Attorney General’s Office declined to comment on pending litigation. The Independent has contacted UVU for comment.
open image in galleryRobinson, the Utah resident accused of killing Kirk, turned himself in the day after the shooting and was charged with aggravated murder. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
During a hearing in July, prosecutors shared surveillance footage of Robinson on campus and DNA evidence that allegedly links him to the rifle recovered near the scene.
They also shared a note he allegedly left his romantic partner that read: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I took it.”
A trial date for Robinson has not yet been set.
Under Utah law, heirs or personal representatives can seek damages when a death is allegedly caused by negligence or another wrongful act. The Kirk family’s notice did not specify the amount of damages they may seek.
With reporting by the Associated Press.
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