Security Chief Blames Campus Police for Failing to Protect Charlie Kirk

A shocking assassination of conservative figure Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University has ignited fierce criticism over what many see as a preventable security collapse by campus authorities.

At the center of this tragedy is Brian Harpole, security chief for Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk, who has accused the Utah Valley University (UVU) Police Department of failing to secure critical rooftop areas despite explicit warnings and assurances of support before the fatal incident on September 10, as Breitbart reports.

Long before that tragic day, Harpole identified a glaring vulnerability—student-accessible rooftops near the Sorensen Student Center, where Kirk was scheduled to appear, posing a clear risk to safety.

Warnings About Rooftops Went Unheeded

As early as September 8, Harpole reached out to UVU Police Chief Jeff Long, urgently raising concerns about the rooftops that overlooked the event location.

In a documented text exchange, Harpole requested either restricted access to the area or permission to station his own security personnel there, receiving what seemed like a firm commitment from Long: “I got you covered.”

Yet, Harpole contends that no such coverage ever materialized, with campus police taking zero action to secure the high ground, leaving a dangerous blind spot wide open.

Communication Breakdowns After the Tragedy

In the aftermath of the assassination, Harpole’s attempts to follow up with Chief Long for explanations or accountability have been met with a frustrating wall of silence.

“We’ve called him, he’s never called us back,” Harpole said, his words carrying the weight of betrayal as he described the lack of response from UVU’s top law enforcement officer.

This stonewalling only fuels suspicion among conservatives that campus authorities may be dodging responsibility for a failure that cost a prominent voice his life.

Additional Security Barriers Compounded Risks

Beyond the rooftop fiasco, Harpole faced other obstacles, such as strict FAA regulations in Provo airspace that barred his team from using drones for surveillance, despite heavy investments in both equipment and licensing.

“I spent thousands of dollars on drones last year and got the guys’ licenses, but if the area lies in the Provo, Utah airspace, I can’t fly it,” Harpole explained, highlighting how legal constraints limited his ability to protect Kirk.

Adding to the frustration, the nearby Orem Police Department, which boasts drones and a SWAT team, was never called in for assistance, despite an existing mutual-aid agreement with UVU PD—a missed chance that raises eyebrows.

Systemic Failures and Proactive Efforts

Harpole noted that only UVU Police had the jurisdictional power to request support from Orem PD, yet no such request appears to have been made, leaving critical resources untapped.

While some might argue campus police face budget or staffing challenges, many on the right will likely see this as another case of institutional neglect toward those who challenge progressive dominance on university grounds.

Despite these systemic shortcomings, Harpole took matters into his own hands, boosting his security team from the usual eight or nine to twelve personnel on September 10, driven by a gut feeling about uneasy logistics and an anticipated large crowd, even without a specific threat on the horizon.