Posted on 09/12/2025 11:26:35 PM PDT by Morgana
First responders and public employees in several cities have become the subject of investigations or have been placed on leave over social media posts reacting to the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Kirk, a close ally of President Donald Trump, was shot and killed on Sept. 10 at a Utah Valley University event. Authorities say a single shot was fired from a rooftop before the gunman escaped.
The suspect in Kirk’s death was taken into custody on Sept. 12.
Nashville Fire Department
In Nashville, Tenn., WSMV reported the fire department put an employee on paid administrative leave after a post circulating online appeared to reference Kirk’s death.
The department said it opened an internal fact-finding review and would not comment further while it’s underway. Prince George’s County Police Department
Prince George’s County (Md.)
Police Department confirmed an internal investigation into an officer’s social media post that read, “When you’re spewing hate, hate will eventually rear its head and find you….”
WJLA reported the department said the post may violate general orders governing employee conduct on social media. There was no immediate indication that the officer’s duty status had changed.
New Orleans Fire Department
In New Orleans, WDSU reported that the fire department said it is investigating after an employee appeared to mock Kirk’s killing in a social media comment.
The comment allegedly said in part: “That bullet has a right to be there because it’s a gift from God.”
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Merle called the remark “unacceptable and disturbing,” adding that invoking God in the message “was even more disturbing.”
Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins vowed to use congressional authority and pressure on tech platforms to seek lifetime bans for users who mocked Charlie Kirk’s killing. In an X post, he praised Kirk and said he’d target posts that “belittled” the assassination.
Toledo Fire & Rescue
Toledo (Ohio) Fire & Rescue is investigating a member over an alleged social media post about Kirk’s death, WTOL reported.
The department did not release details about the post, but comments on its recent social media pages claim a lieutenant wrote it and alleged Kirk was killed because of his political beliefs and affiliations.
A department spokesperson said all fire stations in Toledo were placed on lockdown on Sept. 12 as a precaution following online backlash to the comment. While no direct threats were made to personnel, leadership decided to restrict access to stations to keep members safe.
Maui Police Department
A Maui police officer has been placed on administrative duties and is under internal investigation after allegedly celebrating the assassination of Kirk on social media, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.
The officer is accused of posting, “Charlie Kirk’s demise takes us one step closer to healing this country” in the aftermath of Kirk’s fatal shooting.
“We take this matter extremely seriously,” Maui Police Chief John Pelletier said. “We hold our employees to the highest standards of the policing profession, and when actions fall short of those standards, they are addressed immediately.”
What do you think about calling out first responders for their social media posts? Could it deepen division, increase scrutiny or even risk inciting violence against them?
FireRescue1 readers respond
* I believe that public/government employees need to be held accountable for their actions. They are supposed to represent the agencies in a manner that the public can feel safe when in need of their services. A person’s political movement should not be considered by those who are in a position of authority.
* Absolutely NEEDS TO BE FIRED! What mindset do they have, knowing they can get in trouble AND STILL post hateful comments celebrating a murder!! They don’t need to be first responders to me or my family if their judgment is so hateful!! Fire them immediately.
Time to do what was done to the SA in ‘34 oe whenever that was.
Unconscionable entitlement beyond the pale.
Unfortunately, the Night of the Long Knives installed the SS and did not solve the SA problem. It made it far, far worse.
For that matter we have had the Brown Shirts for years, we just call them Trannies.
as an employer, you can’t have an employee who serves law abiding customers differently based on their political beliefs, or any other individual characteristic for that matter. aside from being morally wrong, it would destroy the business.
again, thank the Father that our Lord is no respecter of persons.
Not in terms of loyalty to the Fuhrer. Consolidation.
“Toledo (Ohio) Fire & Rescue is investigating a member over an alleged social media post about Kirk’s death, WTOL reported.
The department did not release details about the post, but comments on its recent social media pages claim a lieutenant wrote it and alleged Kirk was killed because of his political beliefs and affiliations.”
I believe Kirk was killed because of his political beliefs and affliations. An investigation will hopefully determine if the employee was referring to the vitriole and hate of the left. If he was, then no disciplinary action should be taken.
And that lead to what? Oh, yeah, the “Fuhrer” dying in the end and Germany was in shambles.
If some (pro-First Amendment) grouping within the Dem. Party were to attempt to purge another, more-virulent faction (i.e., one openly celebrating Kirk's assassination), then the comparison might be valid.
But at the moment, I see no such attempt by any major actors within the Left side of the spectrum to discipline, call to order, or chastise those cheering Kirk's assassination, nor are they even only distancing themselves from them.
(That, in itself, is very telling!)
I find it especially pernicious how many leftists are now posting memes on Social Media only vaguely referring to "consequences of spewing hatred, etc." - without explicitly connecting them to Kirk's murder. They're cowards!
Regards,
Regards,
Hand them walking papers!!!
Must help all in need!
No exceptions.
Ernst Rohm disagrees
Disagrees with what?
The big sissy....
Your post makes no sense whatsoever. Ernst Rohm, head of the SA, was murdered on the Night of the Long Knives.
I wish someone (on the left preferably) would explain to me just what Kirk said or did that made him such a hated figure.
The hours of video I saw of him debating students indicates nothing he did to deserve the hate. He was open, friendly, accepting, when he disagreed he never did so in a demeaning manner.
Yet you see them call him a misogynist, hater, racist, fascist, Nazi….I am curious.
There must be consequences for incitement to violence after the fact, murder in this case.
Suspect they only have lies and distortions about what he said and have zero wish to even try to ever give him a fair hearing...lest they “humanize” him by doing so.
“We simply can’t have these people being mentally unhinged.”
We can’t afford to have their mindset in positions in public safety.
God forbid your house would burn with a Trump sign in the yard. And God forbid that you’re wearing MAGA swag, and the EMTs show up and decide to slow-roll your care.
These people simply can’t be trusted.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.