The Carolina Panthers have terminated an employee following inappropriate social media remarks related to the assassination of conservative figure Charlie Kirk. Charlie Lock, a member of the communications team, confirmed the dismissal, which was substantiated by a source aware of the situation.
The post in question seemed to question why people were sorrowful over Kirk’s death. There was also a sharing of the Wu-Tang Clan song “Protect Ya Neck.”
The team issued a statement on social media, clarifying, “The views expressed by employees are unique and do not reflect the views of the Carolina Panthers. We do not tolerate any form of violence and take such matters very seriously.” This incident isn’t isolated; it follows a similar situation where MSNBC analyst Matthew Dowd was fired for making “unacceptable” comments about Kirk shortly after the shooting.
Dowd’s remarks during a segment sparked backlash, and MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler expressed regret for his comments, emphasizing that there is no place for violence in any form in America.
Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was shot once at the Utah Valley University campus around noon while attending an event with numerous students present. Authorities have yet to publicly identify the shooter, but they shared information about a suspect during a press conference. FBI Agent Robert Balls and Utah Public Safety Department official Beau Mason mentioned they had acquired “good video footage” of the individual believed to be responsible and suggested that this suspect might be associated with a college.
As investigations into the shooting continue, more details will likely emerge.
