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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.”
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.
“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.”
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.
“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)
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
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.”
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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Coffee, croissants and classical music brought office workers, residents and visitors together at One Sansome as the free monthly Baroque & Brew series transformed a weekday morning into a community gathering in downtown San Francisco.
The event, held inside the Conservatory at One Sansome, featured live performances by Philharmonia Baroque and invited attendees to enjoy music in the landmark building’s 8,100-square-foot atrium.
Guests were free to sit or stand while listening, with many nearby office workers stopping in during an early lunch break.
The monthly series is scheduled to return in August and September and aims to bring together downtown workers and neighbors through music and shared public space.
“It’s a beautiful opportunity to have coffee, to be in community, and do what our city is known for—the art, the culture—and to share it with each other,” attendee Roger Joyner said. “It’s a beautiful summertime moment.”
Joyner said events like Baroque & Brew reflect the character of the city.
“I think that’s what San Francisco is meant to be…a city that offers culture and the beauty of art to the world. And we that live here get to enjoy it,” he said.
Organizers said the performances are intended to make live classical music more accessible while contributing to ongoing efforts to revitalize downtown San Francisco.
“It’s just a really nice way for us to get the music out of the concert hall to the people downtown, trying to reactivate Downtown San Francisco and show what a welcoming place we can be as a city,” said Isaac Bunch, general manager of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale.
For Joyner, the event also offered a chance to pause amid the pace of daily life.
“We get to take a break. We are hustle and bustle, doing what we do to make the city work, and then we get refreshed by it,” he said. “I think it’s great — it brings it right into the middle of our hub.”
The gathering highlighted how music, conversation and public spaces can bring people together as downtown San Francisco continues its recovery.
Denver, CO
One tree at a time: Denver nonprofit works to close shade gap as heat dome threatens neighborhoods
DENVER — Some Denver neighborhoods are far more vulnerable to this weekend’s incoming heat dome than others — and the difference comes down to trees.
The Valverde neighborhood on the city’s west side has about 9% canopy cover, leaving residents with little shade as temperatures climb toward triple digits.
▶️ WATCH: Denver7’s Claire Lavezzorio learns more about The Park People and how it is helping neighborhoods in Denver.
One tree at a time: Denver nonprofit works to close shade gap as heat dome threatens neighborhoods
Kim Yuan-Farrell, executive director of The Park People, a nonprofit that plants trees in underserved neighborhoods, said the disparity across Denver is stark.
“We have some neighborhoods that have wonderful canopy cover, like 20 to 30% of those neighborhoods are forested. Then a number of our neighborhoods have really low canopy cover, between four or 8% where it’s just significantly less,” Yuan-Farrell said.
Denver7
The Park People identified 28 neighborhoods in need of more tree cover, including Westwood, Globeville and Northeast Park Hill.
Trees can cool an area by 15 to 20 degrees, making a significant difference.
The National Weather Service (NWS) warned the heat dome could last through next weekend.
“The exceptional thing about this is how long it will last,” said NWS meteorologist Russell Danielson. “If you do have trees to take shelter under, it does actually cool down the temperature a decent amount.”
Yuan-Farrell said trees are more than a comfort — they are a critical piece of urban infrastructure.
Denver7
“We really consider it a really essential element of green infrastructure, a real nature-based solution to a lot of these really serious local environmental problems,” Yuan-Farrell said.
In the map below, explore Denver’s libraries and rec centers that welcome the public in from the heat during business hours.
When asked whether Denver has a long road ahead, she did not hesitate.
“We have a lot of work ahead of us,” Yuan-Farrell said. “And we really need our whole community to get involved in that.”
The Park People plant anywhere from 1,200 to 2,000 trees a year. You can apply for one in your yard. Planting is set to begin in September.
Denver7 | Your Voice: Get in touch with Claire Lavezzorio
Denver7’s Claire Lavezzorio covers topics that have an impact across Colorado. If you’d like to get in touch with Claire, fill out the form below to send her an email.
(QUICK LINKS: Music lineups … vendor list … food and drink … Kids Zone info)
6:04 PM: At West Seattle Summer Fest, the crowd has grown steadily, especially now that the workday is over. Main-stage music continues – here’s the second band of the day, Chico Detour:
That’s their song “Crying at My Party.” As main-stage music continues, The Big Dark Corner is just getting going at California/Alaska by KeyBank, a new space this year – programmed by West Seattle’s The Big Dark Records. And you have a wide variety of choices for dinner and drinks – The Porch in the lot behind KeyBank, stands on that side of SW Alaska, some vendors on newly pedestrian-only SW Oregon, the beverage garden by the main stage ..
… and of course all the year-round local venues, many with outdoor cafés. Coordinators say it’s gone smoothly so far. Updates to come!
6:25 PM: That’s Leonard Jarvey and The Sock Monkeys, opening the night at The Big Dark Corner. Still to come there tonight – Sad Dad Autumn at 7, Across 35th at 7:30. Meantime, over in the Kids Zone, the foam party’s back this year:
7:39 PM: A bit of Zookraught and their dance-punk sound on the main stage:
And Across 35th has a throng at The Big Dark Corner – video:
8:20 PM: Vendors are wrapping up for the day, since the festival’s official end time – not counting music – was 8 pm. Here at the Info Booth, most everything’s rolled up too, except our table, and we’re packing up shortly (after one more band – added, here’s that video of Blackie:)
The night wraps up with Alien Crime Syndicate at 10 pm.
ADDED 11:45 PM: Thanks to WSB contributor Jason Grotelueschen for clips from the night’s last two main-stage bands – Caitlin & Brent with the Passenger String Quartet:
And Alien Crime Syndicate:
P.S. Thanks to the many kind people who stopped by our table to say hi – we’ll be back tomorrow, starting at 10 am.
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