A recent report has unveiled critical insights regarding the outdoor speaking engagement of Charlie Kirk, which took place on September 10, 2025. The report indicates that Turning Point USA (TPUSA), the organisation Kirk represented, insisted on holding the event outdoors, notwithstanding various security concerns that were raised.

Prior to the talk, Utah Valley University reportedly failed to conduct a thorough risk assessment, which would have included evaluating the dangerous possibility of a rooftop shooter during the event. Released by the university on Friday, the after-action report revealed a series of lapses in security protocols. It disclosed that the campus lacked a formal security evaluation or a written event action plan.

Additionally, important decision-making authority was allegedly delegated to TPUSA, which raised questions about the effectiveness of the university’s security measures. The university stated that an external independent review was performed, focusing on the security strategies employed for Kirk’s appearance on its Orem campus. This review encompassed discussions between TPUSA representatives and university officials during the planning stages, alongside an evaluation of how the university handled the shooting incident.

Concerns Raised During Planning Meetings

During a planning meeting in August 2025, a representative from Turning Point USA indicated a preference for the campus courtyard as the venue, claiming familiarity with the location due to previous events there. Despite reservations expressed by certain university officials regarding the inherent risks associated with hosting an event in an outdoor area surrounded by higher structures, the decision was made to proceed with the outdoor setting.

The after-action report highlighted the implications of this decision, stating that “in our assessment, those decisions were consequential.” The choice of an outdoor venue reportedly presented numerous challenges for protective operations, yet the planning process lacked essential elements.

These include a documented line-of-sight assessment or a pre-event briefing involving security personnel and stakeholders. Moreover, the report pointed out that there was insufficient coordination with both the speaker’s private security team and local law enforcement agencies, which contributed to the subpar security measures in place for the event.

Implications for Future Event Planning

Overall, the findings of the review underscored significant shortcomings stemming from the decision to hold the event outdoors without formal security planning. The report made it clear that the flawed planning process and the absence of proper co-ordination played a key role in the circumstances surrounding both the September 2025 event and the subsequent response by the university following the tragic incident.

As a result of this incident, the implications for future event organisation, particularly in relation to security planning, will likely lead to increased scrutiny of how universities and organisations engage in events of similar scale. The lessons drawn from this review could potentially reshape approaches to handling security issues for public engagements on university campuses.

The report aims to serve as an educational tool, prompting educational institutions and organisers to reevaluate their security protocols to prevent similar occurrences in the future. In an era when safety concerns are paramount, the report’s findings stress the necessity of comprehensive security assessments and co-ordinated efforts to safeguard both speakers and attendees at public events.

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