Charlie Kirk’s family has taken the first step toward a possible wrongful death lawsuit against Utah Valley University and the state of Utah, alleging security failures contributed to his assassination during a campus event last year.
The family’s attorneys announced Wednesday that they had filed a wrongful death notice accusing university officials of making a series of “reckless decisions” that left Kirk vulnerable to a rooftop shooter. Kirk was shot and killed on Sept. 10, 2025, while speaking before thousands of people at Utah Valley University in Orem.
The notice was filed Sept. 9, one day before the first anniversary of Kirk’s death. Filing the notice is a required step before the family can pursue a formal claim against government entities in Utah. No dollar amount was included in the notice.
The filing names Utah Valley University, its former president, the university’s police department and police chief, and the state of Utah. It argues that officials failed to adequately assess the risks surrounding an outdoor event attended by thousands and surrounded by buildings that provided potential vantage points for a shooter.
“The risk of a rooftop shooter should have been especially top-of-mind given the attempted assassination of President Trump, Charlie Kirk’s close friend and political ally, by a rooftop shooter the previous year,” Kirk family attorney D. Loren Washburn wrote in the notice.
The family alleges officials failed to establish an adequate security perimeter and did not sufficiently secure or monitor rooftops overlooking the event. The filing also raises concerns about emergency medical planning after Kirk was shot.
According to the notice, Kirk was transported to a hospital in a private vehicle rather than an ambulance.
“Tragically, the UVU Parties took none of these safety measures — steps only they had the authority to take — resulting in a situation that rendered Mr. Kirk helpless before his assassin,” Washburn wrote.
The allegations have not been proven in court.
Utah Valley University responds
Utah Valley University acknowledged receiving the notice and said it would handle the matter through its established procedures.
“Our focus remains on supporting our campus community,” a university spokesperson told The Associated Press.
The university police department has previously said it was expanding its police force following the shooting. The Utah Attorney General’s Office declined to comment on potential litigation.
The notice does not itself constitute a lawsuit, but it clears a procedural hurdle that could allow Kirk’s family to pursue one.
Criminal case against Tyler Robinson moving forward
The legal filing comes as the criminal case against Tyler Robinson, the 23-year-old accused of killing Kirk, moves toward trial.
Utah District Judge Tony Graf ruled Sept. 1 that prosecutors had presented sufficient evidence for Robinson to stand trial. Robinson has pleaded not guilty to charges that include aggravated murder.
“This evidence is sufficient at this stage to support a reasonable belief that the defendant is the individual who shot and killed Charlie Kirk,” Graf said in announcing his ruling.
Prosecutors allege Robinson fired at Kirk from the roof of a nearby university building while Kirk was speaking at the outdoor event. The judge's ruling allows all seven charges against Robinson to proceed. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, while Robinson's defense attorneys have challenged elements of the state's case.
A trial date has not yet been set.
The wrongful death matter and Robinson’s criminal prosecution are separate proceedings. The family's notice focuses on whether university and state officials failed to take reasonable security precautions before and during Kirk’s appearance, while the criminal case centers on whether prosecutors can prove the charges against Robinson.
