Event Information

Date: 

Location: Maggiano’s Little Italy, Oak Brook

Speaker: G. Michael Verden

Program Title:
An Independant After-Action Review of the Assassination of Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025

After Action Report Presentation

Overview

On September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk was assassinated at a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event on a college campus. Following that tragedy, G. Michael Verden and The Lake Forest Group conducted a comprehensive, independent review and after-action report of the events leading up to and immediately following September 10th. The purpose of the project was to:

• Establish a clear and factual account of what occurred.
• Analyze the incident, including contributing factors.
• Evaluate the university’s security and emergency preparation and response actions and protocols.
• Recommend enhancements to current practices informed by the incident.

Learning Objectives

After attending this session, the attendees will know:

• Learn about the timeline of events surrounding the TPUSA event. This timeline will document all relevant dates and times and provide concise descriptions of the actions taken, key decisions made, and the resulting outcomes. The chronology clearly identifies the critical decision points and contributing factors that influenced event planning, coordination, and operational execution.
• Review and evaluation of the emergency preparedness posture and the response to the September 10, 2025, incident. The assessment integrates policy and protocol reviews, operational analysis, and benchmarking against national best practices for higher education, large-scale events, and active assailant response.
• Summary of the Comprehensive After-Action Report:
• Executive Summary: A concise overview focused on lessons learned. Where performance was effective, where improvements are warranted, and how collegiate institutions can strengthen a security environment grounded in collaboration, transparency, and coordinated action.
• Detailed Findings and Observations: A comprehensive analysis of prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery efforts before, during, and after the incident.
• Actionable Recommendations: Prioritized, measurable recommendations directly tied to the issues identified in the findings. Each recommendation is specific, practical, and designed to support implementable improvements rather than theoretical guidance.

Moderator Bio

Michael Verden

Michael “Mike” Verden, Founder and CEO of The Lake Forest Group, helps organizations keep their employees safe from active shooters, workplace violence, and emergencies. He is a former police officer, retired Secret Service, and past Senior Director of Security for the NBA. Mike was born in Tipperary, Ireland, grew up in Chicago, began his professional career with the Skokie Police Department, became a Secret Service agent in the Chicago Field Office, and later moved on to serve on the Presidential Protective Division, Counter Assault Team, Rescue Swimmer Team, and Major Events Division to protect the President, First Lady, and large-scale events like the State of the Union, Presidential Inauguration, Olympics, and Super Bowl. He graduated from Western Illinois with a degree in Law Enforcement Administration and Indiana State with an M.S. in Criminology. Mike is a 2025 Inductee into the William Howard Taft High School Hall of Fame.