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MSNBC political analyst Matthew Dowd was fired by the network after he implied that conservative political activist Charlie Kirk's actions led to his own assassination during a live newscast moments after the shooting took place.
“You can’t stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and then not expect awful actions to take place,” said Dowd, who ran as a Democrat for Texas lieutenant governor in 2021. “That’s the unfortunate environment we’re in.”
Dowd also suggested that Kirk could've been shot by a supporter who fired their gun in "celebration."
“We don’t know if this was a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration,” Dowd told anchor Katy Tur during the newscast. “We have no idea. We don’t know any of the full details of this.”
The network ultimately fired Dowd due to his "insensitive" comments later in the day, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to Variety. MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler issued a statement on the network's public relations X account amid backlash.
“During our breaking news coverage of the shooting of Charlie Kirk, Matthew Dowd made comments that were inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable," she said. "We apologize for his statements, as has he. There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise."
Dowd, who joined MSNBC in 2022, also issued an apology on his Bluesky account.
“My thoughts & prayers are w/ the family and friends of Charlie Kirk,” he said. “On an earlier appearance on MSNBC I was asked a question on the environment we are in. I apologize for my tone and words. Let me be clear, I in no way intended for my comments to blame Kirk for this horrendous attack.
“Let us all come together and condemn violence of any kind.”
Kirk, 31, was seated in a pop-up tent addressing an estimated audience of 3,000 people on the campus of Utah Valley University when the shooter, who remains at large, was suspected to have fired a shot from the top of the Losee Center Building. Two separate persons of interest were taken into custody and later released on Thursday (September 10) after it was proven that neither had ties to the shooting, the FBI and the Utah Public Safety Department confirmed in a joint statement.
“There are no current ties to the shooting with either of these individuals," the statement reads. "There is an ongoing investigation and manhunt for the shooter."
Authorities also confirmed that the shooting is suspected to be a targeted attack.
"The shooter is believed to have fired from the roof of a building down to the location of the public event in the student courtyard. Any additional clarifications cannot be provided to protect the integrity of our investigation," the statement reads.
President Donald Trump confirmed Kirk's death in a post shared on his Truth Social account.
"The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!" Trump wrote.
Kirk founded Turning Point USA, a conservative youth organization, at the age of 18 along with tea party activist William Montgomery in 2012. The political pundit gained notoriety debating liberal students, winning over conservative financiers.
Kirk enthusiastically supported President Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign and served as a personal aide to his son, Donald Trump Jr., during the campaign, while also gaining a regular presence on cable news.