By Utah Valley University has released dozens of heavily redacted documents related to the September 10, 2025, assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, offering only a fragmented view of the events leading up to the shooting and raising new questions about campus security failures.
The records, produced in response to a public records request from the Daily Caller News Foundation, include 50 documents consisting largely of internal emails and communications among university personnel. Much of the material is obscured by extensive redactions, with additional records withheld entirely under various legal exemptions.
Among the limited disclosures is a September 8 email approving Kirk’s group to use amplified sound on campus. “I don’t see a problem with this, [redacted],” a recipient replied. Another message sent the day before the shooting referenced an effort to contact Kirk directly. “[Redacted] wants us to get a message to Charlie Kirk,” the September 9 email stated, along with a phone number.
Utah Valley University Police Chief Jeff Long did not respond to a request for comment.
The shooting occurred during an outdoor event hosted by Turning Point USA, which drew roughly 3,000 attendees. Authorities say 22-year-old Tyler Robinson carried a rifle concealed in his pant leg across campus, climbed to the roof of the Losee Center, and fatally shot Kirk with a single round before fleeing. Robinson later surrendered after a 33-hour manhunt when his parents recognized him in images released by the FBI and urged him to turn himself in. Prosecutors have said Robinson’s family heard him express opposition to Kirk’s political views after he began dating a transgender roommate, who is expected to testify.
Scrutiny has focused on the university’s security planning for the event. Only six campus police officers were assigned to the large gathering, and there were no ticketing controls or metal detectors in place. The arrangement drew criticism from state officials, with Utah Republican State Rep. Ryan Wilcox calling it “a complete disaster.” In the aftermath, the university said it would review its security procedures.
The released documents also include partially redacted photographs of campus updates following the shooting, including the installation of a large American flag. Images of individuals appearing in those photos were obscured.
University officials defended the redactions, citing state legal provisions that allow records to be withheld if disclosure could “jeopardize the security of public property, buildings or systems,” “jeopardize the life or safety of an individual,” or infringe on personal or educational privacy. Nine redactions were attributed to protections for ongoing law enforcement matters and fair trial rights, while two were tied to attorney-client privilege. The university also acknowledged the existence of additional responsive records that it declined to release.
The liberals in the charge of the university have previously worked to block a memorial to the slain conservative commentator.
The disclosure marks the second time the university has limited access to information related to the event. It previously denied a request from FOX13 News for the security plan governing the Turning Point USA gathering, citing similar exemptions. Robinson’s legal team reportedly supported keeping those materials sealed during subsequent legal challenges.
Questions have also centered on prior warnings about potential vulnerabilities. Brian Harpole, who led Kirk’s private security team, said he had flagged concerns about rooftop access before the event. According to Harpole, he contacted Chief Long about the possibility of individuals reaching the roof of the Sorenson Center, which overlooked the event area. Harpole said Long assured him the area would be secured, writing, “I got you covered.”
“What else am I to do when a command-level person from an accredited police department says, ‘I’ve got this area’?” Harpole told podcast host Shawn Ryan in November. He added, “Why this hadn’t come out and why he won’t stand up like a man and admit this, I don’t know, but he’s watching a bunch of men lose their careers and he’s okay with it.”
Chief Long later acknowledged shortcomings in a press conference on the day of the shooting. “We train for these things, and you think you have things covered and — you know, these things, unfortunately, they happen,” Long said. “You try to get your bases covered and unfortunately, today, we didn’t. And because of that, we had this tragic incident.”
As the case against Robinson proceeds, the university’s limited disclosures have intensified scrutiny over what officials knew in advance and whether additional safeguards could have prevented the attack. The records released so far provide only a partial account, leaving key questions unresolved about security planning and institutional transparency.
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