A new independent report, commissioned by Utah Valley University (UVU) and released on Friday, states that Turning Point USA (TPUSA) insisted its leader, Charlie Kirk, speak outdoors at the university where he was fatally shot. This was despite security concerns raised with his team by UVU leaders and its police chief.
The report examined security procedures leading up to the 31-year-old's fatal shooting on 10 September 2025, during a talk at the university's campus in Orem, Utah. According to the 158-page report, school staff recommended weeks before Kirk's death that TPUSA move the event to a more secure location. However, TPUSA "insisted upon" an outdoor location, which "created significant protective operations considerations."
The report also noted that a face-to-face pre-event briefing and walkthrough with UVU police chief Jeff Long and the TPUSA protection detail "should also have occurred" hours prior to the event, but did not. UVU also reportedly asked TPUSA for an estimated attendance figure, but the organisation never provided one.
UVU's president, Jon Anderson, stated that the university has a responsibility to "learn from the findings of this review, and follow through on its recommendations." Meanwhile, Kirk family attorney Brett Parkinson said, "Justice for Charlie and his family requires true accountability for UVU’s fatal shortcomings that day." The family is planning to sue the university, alleging in a legal notice that the setup was like "walking him into a fishbowl."
Utah resident Tyler Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder in connection with Kirk's killing. He has pleaded not guilty, and no trial date had been set as of Friday.