The assassination of Charlie Kirk has not only triggered mourning and political debate — it has also sparked a wave of professional fallout for those who chose to celebrate his death in public or semi-private forums.
Within 24 hours of the fatal shooting, teachers, firefighters, public officials, and even a cable news contributor found themselves under investigation or out of a job after posting comments that cheered Kirk’s killing.
Reports of disciplinary action spread across the country Thursday. School districts in Tennessee, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Mississippi, and Ohio confirmed employees were either suspended or under investigation for social media posts about Kirk’s assassination. In South Carolina, one teacher was outright fired after posting: “Thoughts and prayers to his children but IMHO America became greater today. There I said it.”
In Cornelius, Oregon, a city councilor who also works as a teacher admitted to writing that Kirk’s death “really brightened up my day,” prompting swift backlash and calls for his resignation.
The private sector saw consequences too. According to The Athletic, a Carolina Panthers public relations employee was terminated after posting on Instagram: “Why are yall sad? Your man said it was worth it,” alongside an image referencing the Wu-Tang Clan hit “Protect Ya Neck.”
Meanwhile, at the national level, MSNBC contributor Matthew Dowd lost his job after comments he made live on air Wednesday, in which he tied Kirk’s rhetoric to his own assassination. The network condemned his remarks as “insensitive and unacceptable” before confirming his departure.
Many of the revelations were amplified by conservative activists online. Laura Loomer vowed to make examples out of anyone caught celebrating Kirk’s death, warning her large following on X: “Prepare to have your whole future professional aspirations ruined if you are sick enough to celebrate his death.”
Her feed quickly filled with screenshots of names, photos, and job titles of individuals accused of posting celebratory messages.
The account Libs of TikTok also exposed several incidents, including that of a New Orleans firefighter who reportedly commented that the bullet which struck Kirk was “a gift from God.” Though the post was deleted, screenshots reached city officials and the Louisiana attorney general, prompting an internal investigation.
