Charlie Kirk’s family has formally preserved its right to sue Utah Valley University over alleged security failures surrounding his assassination.
The notice of claim targets UVU, the State of Utah, campus police, and officials responsible for event security decisions.
Filed September 9, the notice is a required procedural step before certain wrongful-death lawsuits against Utah government entities.
The university has not admitted responsibility for Kirk’s September 10, 2025, killing.
The prospective plaintiffs include widow Erika Kirk and the couple’s two children, with potential claims also involving Kirk’s parents.
Kirk, 31, was shot while speaking before roughly 3,000 people during Turning Point USA’s American Comeback Tour.
The notice does not specify a damages figure, but attorneys describe the potential damages as substantial.
Authorities say the fatal shot came from the Losee Center rooftop across the courtyard at Utah Valley University.
Prosecutors accuse Tyler Robinson, 23, of firing the shot and later attempting to conceal evidence connected to the attack.
Robinson has pleaded not guilty, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in the separate criminal prosecution.
The family’s filing argues UVU should have treated rooftop security as a central concern before Kirk arrived on campus.
Attorneys cited the 2024 rooftop assassination attempt against President Donald Trump as an obvious warning for planners.
Turning Point USA personnel also allegedly warned UVU Police Chief Jeffrey Long about accessible rooftops near Kirk’s speaking location.
One TPUSA message requested controlled rooftop access or permission for Kirk’s security team to station personnel there.
“I got you covered,” Long allegedly replied, according to the notice quoted by Fox News and other outlets.
The family argues that response reasonably led Kirk’s team to believe campus police would secure elevated positions around the event.
The filing says students were known to access campus rooftops, where discarded bottles, trash and other items were reportedly found.
Attorneys also allege campus police lacked a written security plan and conducted no meaningful pre-event security briefing.
Only six UVU police officers were assigned to the event, representing approximately one-quarter of the campus police force.
The notice alleges Chief Long requested additional officers from then-UVU President Astrid Tuminez but was denied authorization.
Afterward, campus police allegedly did not request additional support from neighboring Orem or Provo law enforcement agencies.
The filing also criticizes officials for approving an outdoor location surrounded by buildings and other elevated shooting positions.
Attorneys argue UVU could have moved Kirk indoors or selected a more secure location, as done previously for controversial speakers.
The notice says university officials controlled barriers, perimeters, metal detectors and campus access measures unavailable to Turning Point USA.
The family also faults UVU for not using drones or live monitoring of available security-camera footage during the event.
Video later presented in Robinson’s criminal case allegedly showed a figure running across the Losee Center roof before the shooting.
The notice further alleges first responders were unavailable immediately after Kirk was shot during the crowded outdoor gathering.
Kirk was transported to Timpanogos Regional Hospital in a private vehicle rather than an ambulance, according to the filing.
Family attorney Brett Parkinson called the killing “entirely preventable” while announcing the legal step against Utah and UVU.
He said the alleged failures deprived Kirk’s family of “their husband, father, son, and brother” with lasting consequences.
UVU acknowledged receiving the notice and said it handles legal matters through established procedures while supporting its campus community.
The university previously announced an outside review of security planning, emergency communications and the response surrounding Kirk’s assassination.
That review, originally expected earlier in 2026, has not yet been publicly released and is now expected this fall.
UVU President Jon Anderson recently said the report would be comprehensive and explained that completing it has required additional time.
Kirk had publicly discussed receiving death threats months before his killing while defending participation in contentious political debate.
The filing nevertheless remains an allegation, and any lawsuit would require the family to prove liability under applicable Utah law.
The criminal case proceeds independently, with prosecutors required to prove Robinson’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The filing shifts scrutiny toward whether university security decisions contributed to an attack the family says was preventable.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
