Independent report finds security problems at Utah Valley University — The Hill

An independent report at Utah Valley University in the United States identified several security problems during a campus event at which political commentator Charlie Kirk was fatally shot. As The Hill reports, the 158-page review found that university staff and security delegated key security decisions to the Turning Point USA team and did not conduct a formal written security assessment.

Venue and tickets

The report states that several important decisions concerning event security were delegated to a Turning Point USA representative, although Utah Valley University staff expressed concerns. In particular, this concerned holding the event outdoors in the Fountain Courtyard and using the organization's ticketing system instead of the university's.

According to the review's authors, this placed Kirk in an area that was more difficult to control and also limited the university's ability to obtain information about crowd size and attendance. University Police Chief Jeffrey Long tried to arrange a meeting with Turning Point USA security chief Dan Flood to coordinate security measures, but in-person meetings never took place.

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Family statements and review findings

Kirk's family lawyers had previously sent the university a notice of claims. They stated that the institution had no security plan and that only six police officers were working at the event. They also said that, before the event, a Turning Point USA representative had informed Long of concerns about a specific roof from which, they claim, the attacker fired.

The report says the university's actions during the shooting substantially failed to comply with its procedures. At the same time, the review did not find that any staff member connected with Utah Valley University acted in bad faith or knowingly and grossly disregarded the safety of others.

University President John Anderson said the institution must care for its community, take the review's findings into account and implement its recommendations. Tyler Robinson has been charged with aggravated murder and six additional counts in the case concerning Kirk's death; if convicted, he could face the death penalty.