Brian Harpole Reveals Chilling Details About Charlie Kirk Assassination at Utah Valley University
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Brian Harpole Reveals Chilling Details About Charlie Kirk Assassination at Utah Valley University
Brian Harpole, former Navy Seal and head of Charlie Kirk's security team, sat down with podcaster Shawn Ryan to reveal the heartbreaking details of September 10, the day Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University. Harpole shared text message exchanges showing he warned UVU Police Chief Jeff Long about unsecured rooftop access two days before the event, requesting security be stationed at the doors. Long responded "I got you covered," but no one was ever assigned. Minutes into Kirk's speech, a single shot fired from that very rooftop struck Kirk in the neck. Harpole describes the horrifying moment he heard the gunshot, the bullet impact, and his desperate attempt to save Kirk's life.
Security Chief Breaks Silence on Kirk Assassination
Brian Harpole, the former Navy Seal who served as head of Charlie Kirk's security team, has opened up about the tragic events of September 10 in a nearly three-hour interview with podcaster Shawn Ryan. Harpole's detailed account reveals alarming security failures that occurred at Utah Valley University, where Kirk was fatally shot during a speaking event.
Two days before the event, Harpole had expressed serious concerns about accessible rooftops near the venue. His instincts as both a former Navy Seal and police officer told him something wasn't right about the security arrangements at the Sorenson Center, the building positioned in front of the Losee Center where Kirk was scheduled to speak.
The Warning That Went Unheeded
Harpole shared the exact text message exchange he had with UVU Police Chief Jeff Long on the Monday before the event. Reading the messages word for word during the interview, Harpole revealed how he had contacted Long directly about his concerns.
"Hello, Chief Long. We received this message today from the student group. There is a student roof access pretty close to where CK will be set up at the Utah Valley. The Sorenson center has a couple of staircases that go up to walkways on the roofs," Harpole wrote.
He clarified for the interview that "the Sorenson Center was the building in front of the Losee Center."
When Chief Long asked if Harpole wanted access to the roof, Harpole responded: "I was told students have access above us. If this is true it would be nice to either have it controlled access or allow one of my guys to be there as well if possible."
Chief Long's final response was simple: "I got you covered."
Harpole asked rhetorically during the interview, "What else am I to do?"
Despite this assurance, according to Harpole's account, no one from UVU was ever assigned to check the rooftops or be stationed at the doors. Additionally, no one from Harpole's security team was granted access to secure the area themselves.
The Moment Death Arrived
Just minutes into Charlie Kirk's speaking event on September 10, a single shot rang out from a rooftop. Harpole's description of that moment is haunting in its detail.
"I remember I heard the gunfire and then I don't know if you've heard this, but I heard that bullet slap him. And so you hear two sounds actually. And so you hear the actual shot and then you hear the bullet hit him in the neck like you hear it," Harpole recounted.
The security team's training kicked in immediately. Not knowing if additional shots were coming, they surrounded Kirk to provide cover.
A Desperate Fight to Save a Life
Harpole described the agonizing moments that followed with visceral detail.
"And so I initially dove down on top of him and just was on him almost face to face. And then when I was doing that, I went down. I could see the wound. And so I immediately shoved my hand into the wound to stop the bleeding. Just trying to find the pressure. And it was coming out still. And I'm on top of him like close. And it was still coming out enough that it squirted through my fingers and I could taste it on my lips."
Harpole ordered his team to prepare the car for evacuation, but when he looked at Charlie, he recognized the grim reality of the situation.
Discussing the timeline of response, Harpole noted how quickly they had to assess and act: "That is fast to get an initial assessment, plug a hole, pick them up, move them."
But the wounds were catastrophic. "When I jumped down on him, he had doll's eyes. And so I was like, man, these are wounds incompatible with life, you know?" Harpole told Ryan, his emotion evident even in the transcript.
The Aftermath and Unanswered Questions
Tyler Robinson, 22, has been charged with aggravated murder in connection with Kirk's death. Utah Valley University has stated it is conducting an independent review into what happened that day.
However, ten weeks after the tragedy, numerous questions remain unanswered about the security failures that allowed an assassin access to an unsecured rooftop despite explicit warnings from Kirk's security chief two days before the event.
The loss of Charlie Kirk, described as an American hero, continues to reverberate through those who knew him and the millions who followed his work.
