The family of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk has blamed Utah officials for failing to prevent his fatal shooting at a state university in September 2025. A wrongful death notice, announced on Wednesday, precedes a potential lawsuit.
Attorneys for the family stated that Kirk's death resulted from a series of "reckless decisions" by officials at Utah Valley University (UVU). These alleged decisions left him exposed to a rooftop sniper, who fired a fatal shot from over 400 feet away on 10 September 2025.
The notice, dated 9 September, names the university, its then-president Astrid Tuminez, the campus police department and its chief Jeffrey Long, and the state of Utah. A UVU spokesperson confirmed awareness of the notice and stated the university would address it "consistent with our established processes."
Kirk, 31, was debating students in an outdoor courtyard with several thousand people present. An Associated Press review after the shooting indicated the campus did not use several standard public safety practices, including adequate campus police staffing, drone monitoring of rooftops, coordination with local law enforcement, bag checks, or metal detectors.
Tyler Robinson, a Utah resident, turned himself in a day after Kirk's killing and faces charges of aggravated murder. A judge ordered the case against Robinson to proceed toward trial on 1 September, though a date has not yet been set.