Government Blocks Release of Security Plan for UVU Shooting

Records director rules plans are not public, citing ongoing investigations and safety concerns

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The director of Utah's Government Records Office has ruled that security plans for the Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University, where Charlie Kirk was shot and killed last year, are not public records and should not be released to the public. The ruling follows a request by FOX 13 News reporter Nate Carlisle, who argued the plans should be made public to promote transparency. However, the university and attorneys for the alleged shooter argued the plans should remain private to protect ongoing investigations and future event security.

Why it matters

This decision highlights the tension between public transparency and the need to protect sensitive security information, especially around high-profile incidents like the shooting at the UVU event. It raises questions about how much the public should know about security planning for such events and whether that information should be accessible, even after the fact.

The details

The university denied FOX 13's request for the security plans, arguing the documents are not subject to public disclosure under state open records laws. During a hearing, the records office director acknowledged the 'heightened public interest' but ultimately sided with the university, saying his office lacked authority to order the release of the records. The university and attorneys for the alleged shooter argued the plans should remain private to protect ongoing investigations and compromise future event security.

  • The shooting at the Turning Point USA event occurred on September 10, 2025.
  • FOX 13 News reporter Nate Carlisle requested the security plans the day after the shooting, in September 2025.
  • The government records director ruled against releasing the plans on February 20, 2026.

The players

Nate Carlisle

A FOX 13 News investigative reporter who requested the security plans for the Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University.

Lonny Pehrson

The director of the Utah Government Records Office who ruled against releasing the security plans.

Utah Valley University

The university that denied the request for the security plans, arguing they are not public records.

Tyler Robinson

The alleged shooter at the Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University, whose attorneys argued against releasing the security plans.

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What they’re saying

“If you're releasing past plans, they could inform what could be happening in future plans.”

— Nicole Ferguson, Attorney arguing on behalf of Utah Valley University (fox13now.com)

“Whatever the plans were for Sept. 10, I think it's reasonable to assume they will not be applied to future events at UVU.”

— Nate Carlisle, FOX 13 News investigative reporter (fox13now.com)

“The fact that documents don't specifically mention Mr. Robinson isn't really dispositive of whether the records have a potential to influence the jury pool if they're, what I would say, prematurely released.”

— Richard Novak, Attorney representing Tyler Robinson (fox13now.com)

What’s next

The judge in the criminal case against Tyler Robinson will likely make a decision on whether to allow the release of the security plans, balancing the public's right to know with the need to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation and prosecution.

The takeaway

This case highlights the complex trade-offs between transparency and security, especially around high-profile incidents with ongoing legal proceedings. It underscores the challenges in determining what information the public should have access to and when, in order to balance accountability and public interest with the need to protect sensitive details that could compromise investigations or future events.