The head of Charlie Kirk’s security team alleges Utah Valley University’s police chief did not follow through on his promise to secure rooftops during the September event where Kirk was assassinated.
Brian Harpole, founder of Integrity Security Solutions and head of Kirk’s contracted security team, said on “The Shawn Ryan Show” that the student group that invited Kirk to host the event told him that some of the rooftops were easily accessible, with some looking down on the open courtyard where Kirk was set to speak, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. Harpole says he texted UVU Police Chief Jeff Long about his concerns, asking if the school could have officers patrol the roof or if he would allow Harpole to assign someone on his team.
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“We were told the roof was covered. The chief said, ‘I got you covered.’ I took him at his word,” Harpole said. “We told them this one was open air, surrounded by elevated ground. We needed more eyes, more coverage. But we were told it would be handled.”
To his knowledge, Harpole says no one from UVU was assigned to check the roofs or be stationed at the doors, and no one from his team was allowed access. Kirk was fatally shot from a rooftop just two minutes into the event. The suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, has been charged with capital murder.
Charlie Kirk Security Team Limited in Scope, Chief Says
Harpole said Integrity coordinated with UVU for nearly two weeks leading up to the event. His company brought nearly double its usual staffing to the school based on previous high-risk events, he said, but jurisdictional limits restricted them to about 30 meters around the stage, according to Fox News. Harpole’s 12-member detail “built concentric zones and double presidential-style barricades and used vehicles as hard barriers behind the stage,” but those measures couldn’t compensate for gaps in police coverage, he said.
“Our responsibility stopped at the bubble,” he said. “We can’t make arrests or block student buildings. That’s law enforcement’s job.”
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Harpole said the Orem Police Department has a mutual aid agreement with the school but were never asked to provide support at the event. He also alleges his team prepared to deploy drones to watch over the event but was denied authorization under FAA and campus restrictions.
“This was a textbook example of what happens when lines of authority aren’t clear,” Harpole continued. “We couldn’t act outside our jurisdiction, and the people who could didn’t.”
UVU Security Plans Significantly Underestimated Event Attendance
Various reports indicate there were additional breakdowns in event planning and security protocols.
According to reports from ABC News, organizers prepared for an estimated 600 participants based on historical attendance data and an event planning form completed by Turning Point USA, which Kirk founded. Follow up conversations between UVU officials and Turning Point USA increased that estimate to 1,500-2,000, based on more recent events held by Kirk. However, more than 3,000 individuals arrived at the UVU event, representing a crowd size five times larger than originally anticipated.
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Official reports indicate that only six UVU police officers were present to manage the crowd of thousands. Only two emergency medical personnel were on-site, and authorities confirmed there was no dedicated ambulance or expanded emergency coverage available at the venue.
The event also did not utilize a ticketing system or rigorous entry screening measures, and the school has received criticism for delayed and conflicting emergency alerts that were sent to the campus immediately following the shooting. Approximately 19 minutes elapsed before the first notification was sent.
In response, UVU said it has initiated a comprehensive review of the shooting and its event management procedures.
“The comprehensive and independent third-party analysis will be made public once complete and will provide valuable insights into improving safety and security on college campuses,” the university wrote in a statement. “UVU is committed to integrating these findings into its safety protocols to benefit UVU and the broader Utah higher education community and campus events.”
