Online Outrage Over Charlie Kirk's Death Leads to Multiple Job Losses
The fatal shooting of right-wing political analyst Charlie Kirk ignited an intense discussion across social media platforms.
The co-founder of Turning Point USA was tragically killed at 31 years old on Wednesday, September 10, after being shot during a public address at Utah Valley University and subsequently dying shortly after transport to a nearby medical facility. A 48-hour manhunt followed for the assailant, concluding with the arrest of 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson on Friday, September 12, as reported by the FBI and President Donald Trump.
During his life, Kirk was a highly contentious public figure, which led to a charged online conversation regarding his murder that ultimately resulted in several public personalities losing their positions.
The most prominent individual dismissed following Kirk’s demise was MSNBC political pundit Matthew Dowd, after he characterized Kirk as “one of the most divisive, especially divisive younger figures” during the live broadcast reporting on the incident. MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler denounced Dowd’s commentary as “inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable” before terminating his employment with the news network.
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Other individuals who lost their employment due to remarks about Kirk’s passing included an employee of the Carolina Panthers and educational staff in Tennessee, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Mississippi, and Ohio, as reported by The Hill.
Continue reading for a complete summary of individuals who faced job loss because of their responses to the killing:
Matthew Dowd
Dowd — who previously served as a strategist for President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney's 2004 re-election campaign — was dismissed because of statements he made during MSNBC’s reporting on the murder. MSNBC anchor Katy Tur had posed a question to him concerning “the environment in which a shooting like this happens.”
Dowd replied, “Kirk has been one of the most divisive, particularly among younger figures, consistently promoting a type of hate speech or rhetoric targeting specific communities. My consistent belief is that hateful thoughts give rise to hateful words, which in turn lead to hateful actions. I believe this is precisely the climate we currently inhabit. One cannot harbor such dreadful thoughts and utter such terrible words without anticipating terrible actions to occur. And that is the regrettable state of our environment.”
Within hours, MSNBC suspended Dowd and eventually terminated his role as a pundit, leading MSNBC president Kutler to issue a public apology on the network’s behalf.
Kutler stated, “We apologize for his remarks, and he has also done so. There is no tolerance for violence in America, whether politically motivated or otherwise.”
Dowd explained on X that he “absolutely did not intend for [his] comments to attribute blame to Kirk for this horrifying assault.”
He added, “Let us all unite and denounce violence in all its forms. My thoughts and prayers are with Charlie Kirk’s family and friends. During a prior MSNBC appearance, I was questioned about the current environment. I apologize for my tone and choice of words.”
Charlie Rock
As reported by The Charlotte Observer, Rock, the communications coordinator for the Carolina Panthers, was dismissed for a tweet that read: “Why are you all upset? Your guy stated it was acceptable…”
His post alluded to a remark Kirk made in 2023 advocating for gun ownership, where the pundit implied it was “a worthwhile trade-off to endure, regrettably, a number of gun fatalities each year so that we may retain the Second Amendment to safeguard our other divinely bestowed rights.”
The NFL team posted on X on September 11, stating, “The opinions shared by our personnel are their own and do not reflect those of the Carolina Panthers. We do not endorse any form of violence. We are treating this situation with utmost seriousness and have taken appropriate action with the individual concerned.”
Bobby Machado
A radio producer for Fox Sports Las Vegas disseminated and then removed profanity-laced messages concerning Kirk’s murder. Lotus Communications, the station’s parent organization, issued a statement indicating it was “troubled by a hateful and reprehensible social media post authored by a former employee in Las Vegas.”
The statement went on to say, “This post originated independently on the individual’s personal social media account and bears no resemblance to the perspectives or principles of Lotus Communications, our stations, our staff, or our esteemed collaborators. We do not and will never endorse this type of language. The individual’s employment was terminated immediately, and they are no longer affiliated with our company. We offer our heartfelt apologies for his terrible and offensive remarks.”
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Fox Sports Las Vegas issued a public apology after “a team member [shared] offensive comments on personal social media.”
A message on X stated, “While we honor individual convictions, we do not permit hatred or prejudice. The individual is currently on leave. These perspectives are not representative of Lotus Stations or our partners. We sincerely apologize. The employee has been dismissed, and once again, we do not tolerate hate or discrimination. These views are not indicative of Lotus Stations or our partners.”
Gerald Bourguet
The PHNX Sports journalist was let go by the media organization due to a tweet that criticized certain responses to Kirk’s demise.
He posted on X, “’Political disagreements' are distinct from consistently disseminating hateful rhetoric, and declining to lament a life dedicated to such a cause is not equivalent to glorifying gun violence. Let’s be entirely clear about that.”
On September 11, PHNX Sports declared that Bourguet, a reporter covering the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, had been terminated because of the tweet.
A statement read, “The viewpoints conveyed by our staff do not reflect the positions of PHNX or ALLCITY Network. We treat issues concerning violence with extreme gravity and are dedicated to guaranteeing that ALLCITY continues to be a secure environment for both our employees and the broader community. We have discussed this situation with the individual and chosen to sever ties.”
Laura Sosh-Lightsy
On September 11, USA Today reported that Sosh-Lightsy, the associate dean at Middle Tennessee State University, had published a post stating she felt “no sympathy whatsoever” regarding Kirk’s passing.
Upon learning of the remarks, Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn publicly advocated for Sosh-Lightsy’s dismissal from the university. She posted on X, stating: “This individual ought to be ashamed of her statement. She should be relieved of her duties at @MTSU.”
MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee denounced Sosh-Lightsy’s “unsuitable and insensitive remarks” concurrently with verifying her termination from employment.
He stated, “The remarks made by this employee, who held a position of direct trust with students, conflicted with our core principles and have damaged the university’s credibility and standing among our students, faculty, staff, and the wider community. This employee’s termination is effective immediately. We offer our most profound condolences to the Kirk family.”
Judge Ted Berry
The Hamilton County municipal court judge caused an uproar with his comments concerning Kirk’s death after he reportedly posted on Facebook, “Rest in Hatred & Division.”
Berry — who was formerly a member of The Joe Burrow Foundation's advisory board — subsequently informed the Cincinnati Enquirer that he does not "support any form of violence against any individual."
He further added, "I apologize if I created discord. That was not my intention. And I hope for peace."
The Joe Burrow Foundation declared on September 12 that a board member had been dismissed, though the person’s identity was not revealed. (Us has sought comment from Berry.)
The nonprofit stated in a message via X, “The Joe Burrow Foundation was established on the principle that every individual bears the responsibility to contribute positively. We have removed an advisory board member who made inappropriate observations in connection with recent occurrences, and they are no longer affiliated with the foundation. Their statements do not align with our principles or our purpose. We are dedicated to upholding accountability and respect for everyone.”
