An independent review of the fatal shooting that killed conservative activist Charlie Kirk last year shows that "several actions, omissions, circumstances, and institutional practices" warrant attention for Utah Valley University (UVU) as the school considers how to strengthen security and safety for campus events moving forward. Kirk was killed on September 10, 2025, while speaking to students at a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event. His killing sent shockwaves throughout social media, conservative politics, college campuses and more.
The review said that TPUSA "insisted" on the speaking event being held outdoors, creating "significant protective operations considerations." The review also found that "at no time during the events leading up to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, or in its aftermath, did any employee or agent of UVU act in bad faith or in willful and wanton disregard for the safety of others." Some of the findings show that the school's "existing monitoring and information-sharing resources did not fully meet the need for focused investigations of specific threats or concerning behavior," there should be clarity in communications and emergency leadership, and that implementation of UVU's public safety policies and procedures "was inconsistent before and during the events of September 10, 2025." In a statement regarding the review, Brett Parkinson, counsel for the Kirk family told Newsweek on Friday: "This report reaffirms the facts we laid out in our Notice of Claim: that UVU security was woefully understaffed and unprepared to manage the obvious risks associated with an event of this nature. UVU hosted this event, and in doing so, assumed responsibility for the safety of all in attendance, including Charlie. The buck stopped with UVU leadership and law enforcement.
Justice for Charlie and his family requires true accountability for UVU’s fatal shortcomings that day." The Kirk family this month also said that Utah officials failed to prevent Charlie's killing despite a "specific tip" about rooftop access risk at the school. UVU President Jon Anderson said in a release from the school on Friday: “September 10 will always be part of UVU’s history, but it will not define our future. Our responsibility is to care for our community, learn from the findings of this review, and follow through on its recommendations.
This requires humility, an honest examination of our policies and practices, and a commitment to act on what we learn. "While we’ve made meaningful progress in strengthening campus safety over the past year, this review provides additional recommendations that will continue to guide our work as we move forward with care, civility, and resilience.” This is a developing story that will be updated with additional information. Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Anna Commander and Dave Siminoff.
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