Charlie Kirk’s family says security failures by Utah officials led to his assassination

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – Charlie Kirk's family blamed Utah authorities for failing to prevent the conservative activist's assassination at a state university, in a wrongful death notice unveiled Wednesday that presages a feasible lawsuit.

What happened

Attorneys for the family remarked Kirk's death resulted from a string of "reckless decisions" by office-holders at Utah Valley University that left him exposed to a rooftop sniper. This person fired a fatal shot from more than 400 feet (122 meters) away on Sept. 10, 2025. The university has faced harsh criticism for a lack of key safety measures on the day of the shooting.

Kirk, 31, had been debating students in an outdoor courtyard surrounded by tall buildings and with a number of thousand residents in attendance. An Associated Press review after the shooting demonstrated the campus in Orem did not employ a number of public safety practices that have become standard safeguards at events around the country.

The bottom line

For now, charlie Kirks family says security failures by Utah officials led to his remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.