Oh I'm not laughing it off. I can't imagine what it's like to be going what they're going through.
No. That’s what the first amendment is for.
The First Amendment protects us from government restrictions on our speech so this is not a First Amendment issue. Ms. O'Connell was free to say what she said. Unfortunately other people objecting to what we said are free to do the same, even in the unpleasant and hate-filled manner that they've been using.
If I remember my business law course from many years ago, I don’t think they are free to make threats like that. You are not allowed to threaten someone with harm. It may vary from state to state, but you can be charged (battery, I believe) for that if you are capable of committing the act.