// BBC WORLD NEWS — MONDO
Charlie Kirk's family alleges 'stunning failures' by Utah officials led to his assassination
Charlie Kirk speaks at Utah Valley University on 10 September 2025 before he was shot and killed by a gunman
Charlie Kirk's family has accused the Utah Valley University and state officials of "stunning failures and reckless decisions" that they say led to the conservative activist's 2025 assassination during a campus event.
In a legal notice, lawyers for the family say Kirk's Turning Point USA event at the university campus was not properly secured or monitored, making him an easy target.
Kirk, 31, was speaking to a crowd of thousands on the university campus, when he was shot and killed by a gunman positioned on a roof.
The university said it was aware of the claim but did not comment further on the allegations, according to a statement shared with the BBC's US partner CBS News.
"We are aware of the notice of claim. UVU addresses legal matters consistent with our established processes, " the university said in its statement. "Our focus remains on supporting our campus community."
The legal notice was filed on 9 September, a day ahead of the one-year anniversary of Kirk's death, and is typically a precursor to a lawsuit.
It names Utah Valley University, local police, the state of Utah, and other university officials as parties who were allegedly aware of the threats against Kirk and did not take steps to protect him.
"Through a series of stunning failures and reckless decisions, the UVU Parties created a foreseeable danger to Charlie," the notice alleges.
"Placing a politically controversial figure like Charlie Kirk in an outdoor event in the quad surrounded by tall buildings and other elevated observation platforms is accurately described as walking him into a fishbowl," it says.