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Charlie Kirk’s security chief says police promise to cover rooftops failed before assassination

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Charlie Kirk’s security chief says police promise to cover rooftops failed before assassination

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Two months after Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk’s assassination at Utah Valley University, his security director said the tragedy exposed preventable flaws in how the event was coordinated and secured.

Brian Harpole, a veteran law enforcement officer and founder of Integrity Security Solutions, told “The Shawn Ryan Show” his team repeatedly raised concerns about rooftop exposure, drone restrictions and staffing gaps in the days before the Sept. 10 event.

“We were told the roof was covered,” Harpole said. “The chief said, ‘I got you covered.’ I took him at his word.

“We can’t break the law to do what needs to be done, so we relied on the police, and no one was up there.”

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CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION WITNESSES DESCRIBE MINIMAL SECURITY, HORRIFYING SHOOTING

Investigators search a taped-off area in Orem, Utah, Sept. 11, 2025. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)

Harpole said he had asked for additional security based on previous high-risk events. He recalled a Turning Point USA appearance in San Francisco where protesters breached barriers, and his team had to fight its way out with little law enforcement help.

“We’ve seen it before,” he said. “In San Francisco, we had a street takeover, people climbing fences, our exit routes compromised. We knew how fast things can go bad.”

Those experiences, he said, shaped his requests for extra officers and aerial support in Utah.

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“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.”

CHARLIE KIRK’S KILLING AT UTAH UNIVERSITY PROMPTS SCRUTINY OF SECURITY MEASURES

The scene after shots were fired at an appearance by Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University Sept. 10, 2025, in Orem, Utah. Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was speaking on his American Comeback Tour when he was shot in the neck and killed.   (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images)

Harpole said Integrity brought 12 contractors, nearly double its usual staffing, but jurisdictional limits confined them to about 30 meters around the stage.

“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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He said the Orem Police Department, which operates a drone and SWAT unit, was never asked to assist despite a mutual-aid agreement.

“They told us later they were never asked to come,” Harpole said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Orem Police Department for comment.

TURNING POINT USA SAYS SECURITY LACKED JURISDICTION TO MONITOR ROOFTOP WHEN CHARLIE KIRK WAS ASSASSINATED

Harpole said he specifically flagged student stairways leading to rooftops that offered a clear line of sight to the stage.

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“Three meters to the right or 10 to the left and there is no shot. That’s how precise the angle was,” he said.

He said his team prepared to deploy drones for watch over the event but was denied authorization under FAA and campus restrictions.

“This is Utah, not Iraq,” Harpole said. “We couldn’t put snipers on roofs or launch drones. We did what we could within the rules.”

SCRUTINY INTENSIFIES OVER SECURITY LAPSES SURROUNDING THE CHARLIE KIRK SHOOTING

UVU students pause to reflect as they gaze over the spot where Charlie Kirk was assassinated in Orem, Utah, Sept. 17, 2025. (Matthew Finn/Fox News)

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Harpole said Integrity coordinated with UVU for nearly two weeks and relied on campus police for rooftops and overwatch due to jurisdictional limits. He said promised coverage wasn’t in place.

“This was a textbook example of what happens when lines of authority aren’t clear,” he said. “We couldn’t act outside our jurisdiction, and the people who could didn’t.”

He added that Integrity’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.

The Utah Department of Public Safety confirmed that its State Bureau of Investigation is leading the criminal inquiry alongside the Utah County Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors have charged Tyler James Robinson, 22, with capital murder in the shooting and intend to seek the death penalty.

ONE MONTH AFTER CHARLIE KIRK’S MURDER, KEY QUESTIONS REMAIN UNANSWERED

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Tyler Robinson, left, and Charlie Kirk  (Utah State Courts/Handout, Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune via Reuters.)

UVU officials have said an internal review of the shooting and security procedures is ongoing.

“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 said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital by a firm representing UVU. “UVU is committed to integrating these findings into its safety protocols to benefit UVU and the broader Utah higher education community and campus events.”

The university also emphasized the role of its police officers and new safety investments.

“University police officers play a vital role in maintaining a safe, secure and welcoming environment by enforcing local, state and federal laws while upholding the university’s values of respect, integrity and inclusion,” the statement continued. “Officers protect students, employees, visitors and property and take a proactive approach to crime prevention, education and community engagement.”

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First responders work where Charlie Kirk was shot during an event at Utah Valley University Sept. 10, 2025, in Orem, Utah.  (George Frey)

UVU said it is hiring eight additional police officers and two new security managers to strengthen oversight and support for campus events.

Harpole said his decision to speak publicly was about ensuring lessons are learned from what happened at Utah Valley.

“Just show the facts,” he said. “If mistakes were made, fix them so it never happens again.”

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UVU officials said their ongoing third-party review will guide new safety policies and staffing expansion aimed at strengthening campus event security across Utah’s higher education system.

Fox News Digital reached out to Turning Point USA and Integrity Security Solutions for comment.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.

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Montana

Troopers, Converse County deputies rescue missing Montana teen

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Troopers, Converse County deputies rescue missing Montana teen


CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A Montana teen is home and safe after Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers, with the help of local law enforcement, apprehended the men transporting her across state lines.

On Nov. 22, the FBI was able to determine that two Oklahoma men who had previously picked up a teenage girl in Montana were traveling through Wyoming to get back to Oklahoma.

Troopers were alerted to the situation via a “be on the lookout” alert, and were informed the suspected vehicle was southbound on Interstate 25 and was last pinged near mile marker 135. A nearby trooper immediately spotted the suspected vehicle and, with assistance from the Converse County Sheriff’s Office, initiated a traffic stop.

The trooper spotted the missing girl in the vehicle, and, after taking charge of the investigation, arrested the two suspects.

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The 15-year-old victim was cared for by the Wyoming Department of Family Services before being returned home to her parents in Montana.

The WHP reports that this is still an active investigation and has been handed over to the FBI.

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Nevada

NV Army National Guard hosts groundbreaking for U.S. Army firing range in Hawthorne

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NV Army National Guard hosts groundbreaking for U.S. Army firing range in Hawthorne


RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – The Nevada Army National Guard hosted their groundbreaking ceremony to begin construction on the Nevada Army National Guard qualification training range.

When completed, the range will become the only department of the army approved qualification range in the state of Nevada.

The project has been in the works for years, and those who have had a hand in it say this has been a long time coming.

“I’ve been working on it for about eight years myself. And there’s a couple of the other individuals that are standing around in the background over here that have been working on it even longer. So, it’s been about 10, 12 years that we’ve been trying to get this thing together,” says Major Jacob Sanford, Deputy G3 with the NV Army National Guard.

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The new range will allow Nevada soldiers to meet military marksmanship standards without having to leave the state

Since 2019, the Nevada army guard has sent more than 1,000 soldiers to neighboring states annually for marksmanship qualifying.

Which is an expensive task and keeping this in state will create economic benefits for Nevada.

“So we’re very much looking forward to what we’re gonna be able to do out here and be able to train about 12,000 soldiers a year out here. Economically, it’s gonna be a great boon for the state. We’re gonna be able to embolden the Mineral County and the Hawthorne community out here,” says Sanford.

“They’re working together, training together. It’s only going to just benefit our community of Hawthorne, our service community, our National Guard, but I would say our entire country,” says Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen, who NV Army National Guard personnel say had a major role in getting the funding necessary for this range.

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Units spend up to four training days annually and. The four days equated to more than 15 percent of the unit’s allocated training days and significantly impacted on the soldiers’ ability to train on other tasks.

The new $20 million Hawthorne Army Depot Record Fire Range facility will include 16 lanes for rifle training, 15 for pistol, four machine gun lanes (up to M240) and seven buildings. Four full-time U.S. Army, federal employees will maintain operations at the range.

“It’s just one of those things that Nevadans have known, but the fact that other people are figuring it out is like, hey, we can do that out there, let’s do that,” says Congressman Mark Amodei.



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New Mexico

FBI investigates threats towards El Paso, New Mexico schools

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FBI investigates threats towards El Paso, New Mexico schools


EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — FBI El Paso is informing the community that they are locating persons responsible for school threats towards several El Paso and New Mexico schools.

In a social media post, the FBI clarified that the threats are “not deemed credible” at this moment.

The agency is working with local law enforcement partners and school district police departments to locate the individuals involved with the threats.

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Anyone with information leading to an “imminent threat” is asked to report it to local authorities.



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