The family of conservative activist Charlie Kirk filed a notice of claim on Sept. 9, 2026, against Utah Valley University, the state of Utah and the university police department, alleging that security lapses led to his fatal shooting during a campus event.
The filing matters to believers because it underscores the Christian principle that every life is sacred and that institutions have a duty to protect those who gather for peaceful dialogue. By seeking accountability, the Kirk family hopes to honor Charlie’s legacy and signal that wrongful deaths will not be ignored.
According to the claim, the university ignored a warning from Turning Point USA that students had accessible rooftop routes near the Sorenson Center, a building adjacent to where Kirk was scheduled to speak. In a text exchange, a TPUSA official asked campus police chief Jeffrey Long if the roof could be secured or if a member of Kirk’s security team could monitor it. Chief Long replied, “I got you covered,” yet the rooftop remained open on the day of the event.
Attorney Brett Parkinson, representing the family, said, “His murder was entirely preventable and, in fact, would not have happened had the State of Utah and UVU followed through on their stated security promises, which included protecting the rooftops surrounding the quad where Charlie was speaking.” The claim adds that only six campus police officers—about 25 percent of UVU’s force—were assigned to an outdoor gathering of roughly 3,000 attendees, despite requests for additional officers.
The filing also points to a lack of real‑time CCTV monitoring, the absence of drones to surveil the campus rooftops, and no written security plan or briefing before the event. Surveillance video later showed the alleged shooter moving across the rooftop prior to firing the fatal shot.
By filing the notice of claim, the Kirk family preserves the right to pursue a formal wrongful‑death lawsuit within two years, as required by Utah law. The document names the state, the university, the police department, Chief Long and former president Astrid Tuminez as prospective defendants and asserts that the failures constituted “a series of stunning failures and reckless decisions.”
The family’s next step will be to decide whether to file a full lawsuit, a move that could compel Utah Valley University and public officials to reevaluate campus security protocols for high‑profile speakers and reinforce the broader Christian call to safeguard human life.