Security lapses at Utah campus where Charlie Kirk was killed, review says

What the report says

An independent review has found multiple security failures at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, surrounding the event where conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot. According to BBC World News, the report said the university did not complete a written security assessment or an event action plan, and that important planning decisions were left largely to Kirk’s organisation, Turning Point USA.

The review said Kirk’s aides pushed for an outdoor courtyard venue despite campus officials raising concerns about the site’s security risks, including the presence of tall surrounding buildings. It also found that no documented line-of-sight assessment was made, and that coordination between university police and Kirk’s private security was inadequate. A planned pre-event meeting between the police chief and Turning Point security did not take place, which the reviewers said missed an opportunity to identify risks and agree on responsibilities.

The report did not conclude that any university staff acted in bad faith or with deliberate disregard for safety, but it did describe serious lapses in planning. Kirk was addressing a large crowd on campus on 10 September 2025 when he was shot from a nearby rooftop and later died in hospital. His family and lawyer said the findings supported their concerns, while UVU said it needed to learn from the review’s recommendations. The case remains under criminal proceedings, with the accused pleading not guilty, according to BBC World News.