UVU fills new top safety position after Charlie Kirk shooting

Utah Valley University is bringing on a past leader of the state’s highway patrol to fill a new safety post after the assassination of Charlie Kirk on the campus last year. 

The announcement comes a month after an outside review identified gaps in the university’s planning and protocols. The report recommended Utah Valley create a top administrative role to oversee safety operations and emergency management, and the university said in response it was already doing so. 

Michael Rapich is taking the job at the university in Orem after 33 years with the Utah Highway Patrol, where he served at the helm for nine years before retiring in November 2025. 

UVU didn’t act in ‘wanton disregard’ leading up to Charlie Kirk shooting, independent review says

Utah Valley University President Jon Anderson said in a prepared statement that Rapich “brings decades of public safety leadership, sound judgment, and trusted relationships across Utah. His experience and collaborative approach will strengthen how UVU prepares, responds, and works together to serve our campus community.”

The university has faced criticism for failing to secure each rooftop and assigning just six police officers to staff the event attended by some 3,000 people. Kirk’s family blames lapses in event security for his death and has taken a first step toward suing the school by sending a notice of claim. 

Rapich’s longtime relationships with law enforcers throughout the state will help enhance emergency response and coordination with other agencies, the university said.  

Rapich said in a statement that he’s honored and looks forward to working with students, employees, and others in public safety at the university and surrounding communities “to identify every opportunity to ensure that UVU Campus is a trusted place for learning, growth, and engagement.” 

Rapich became a state trooper in 1992 after serving in the U.S. Coast Guard and working as a 911 dispatcher, the university said. 

Kirk, a founder of the student organization Turning Point USA and a close ally of President Donald Trump, was shot and killed just minutes into an outdoor speaking event in a courtyard on Sept. 10, 2025. 

The 23-year-old Tyler Robinson is accused of using his grandfather’s hunting rifle to fatally shoot Kirk from a rooftop on the campus. He has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder. 

A judge last month ordered Robinson to stand trial. If he’s convicted, prosecutors have said they’ll seek the death penalty. They expect a trial to take place in 2028, while Robinson’s defense team says they will need until 2029 to adequately prepare for a trial.