Charlie Kirk’s family has filed a wrongful death notice accusing Utah Valley University and state officials of failing to prevent his assassination at a campus event, paving the way for a possible lawsuit.
Lawyers for the family claim a series of “reckless decisions” left the conservative activist exposed to a rooftop gunman at the university in Orem, Utah. Kirk was shot dead on September 10, 2025, while debating students in an outdoor courtyard attended by about 3,000 people.
The notice names Utah Valley University, its former president Astrid Tuminez, the university’s police department and then-chief Jeffrey Long, as well as the state of Utah. It was dated September 9, a day before the first anniversary of Kirk’s death.
Under Utah law, the notice is a required step before the family can submit a formal claim or bring a lawsuit. It does not specify how much compensation Kirk’s relatives may seek.
The family’s attorney, D. Loren Washburn, alleges that officials failed to carry out an adequate risk assessment, establish a secure perimeter or ensure first responders were immediately available. Kirk was taken to a nearby hospital in a private vehicle rather than an ambulance after he was shot, the notice says.
The university event took place in a courtyard surrounded by tall buildings. According to the allegations, officials did not deploy a drone to monitor rooftops, coordinate with local law enforcement or provide bag checks and metal detectors. The campus police presence was also allegedly well below recommended levels for a university of its size.
“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,” Mr Washburn wrote in the notice.
He added: “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.”
Mr Long said after the shooting that six university officers had staffed the event and worked alongside Kirk’s eight-person private security team. Utah Valley University said it was expanding its police force after the killing.
In a statement, the university said it was aware of the notice and that it handled legal matters through its established procedures. “Our focus remains on supporting our campus community,” it said.
The Utah Attorney General’s Office said it did not comment on potential litigation.
Charlie Kirk assassination case
Tyler Robinson, a Utah resident, surrendered to authorities the day after Kirk’s killing. Prosecutors allege that he targeted Kirk because of his political beliefs and have charged him with aggravated murder, an offence that could carry the death penalty if he is convicted.
Prosecutors have cited surveillance footage, DNA evidence allegedly linking Robinson to a rifle found near the scene and a handwritten note which they say he left for his romantic partner. The note read: “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I took it.”
A judge has ordered the case to proceed towards trial, although no trial date has been set. Kirk’s parents, Robert and Kathryn Kirk, and his widow, Erika Kirk, have attended the hearings.
Erika Kirk said at her husband’s memorial service that she forgave Robinson, while also distinguishing forgiveness from the pursuit of justice.
