A neurologist and a pediatric nurse were fired after posting on social media about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the latest in a string of employment actions against professionals whose online comments about the killing drew public scrutiny.
Dr. Michelle Bravo, 34, a former neurologist at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine, was terminated on Saturday after a post she shared compared Kirk’s death to the war in Gaza and said "the chickens have come home to roost," the university said. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta confirmed it dismissed an employee after vulgar remarks about Kirk’s children appeared on social media and were traced to a registered nurse in the state.
Kirk, the co‑founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed while speaking at Utah Valley University on Wednesday in what authorities have described as a targeted political attack. The killing sparked nationwide outrage and intense debate over political violence, online discourse and consequences for public comments.
The University of Miami said in a statement that it "regrets unacceptable public commentary made by one of our employees" and that the individual is no longer employed by the institution. The statement added: "Freedom of speech is a fundamental right. At the same time, expressions that condone or endorse violence or are incompatible with our policies and values are not acceptable. We remain dedicated to providing a safe, respectful environment for all."
Bravo’s post, which was shared by an account called StopAntisemitism and later circulated widely, compared Kirk’s killing to violence in Gaza and included language that university officials called inconsistent with institutional values. A profile for Bravo that had been on the university website listed specialties in headache medicine and neurology; the profile was removed after her termination.
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta said an employee was fired after "inappropriate comments made on social media" and that such rhetoric violates the hospital’s social media policy. Social media users identified the account that posted the comments as belonging to a registered nurse in Georgia; the accounts linked to the nurse were removed after the posts drew attention.
The firings come amid a wider effort by conservative activists to identify and publicize people who appeared to celebrate or mock Kirk’s death. Officials and employers across sectors have taken action against multiple people, citing workplace policies and codes of conduct.
Earlier actions included the ouster of a Marine officer, Captain Jacoby Williamson, after he posted an image and comment that military officials said amounted to celebrating the assassination; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the Marine’s firing and said the department would monitor for additional incendiary comments. A Washington Post columnist, Karen Attiah, said she was fired by the paper after a series of social media posts criticizing what she called performative mourning for white men; she disclosed her departure in a post on Substack.
Media and local reports also described disciplinary moves at hospitals and other institutions. A New Jersey nurse said she was suspended after she confronted a surgeon who reportedly told colleagues Kirk "had it coming," a detail reported by The New York Post; the hospital has not publicly confirmed disciplinary action in that case. Several social media accounts tied to implicated individuals have been deleted or taken private.
Conservative commentators and some Republican figures have sought names of employees who posted about the killing and urged their followers to publicize those identities, prompting criticism from some on the right. Conservative commentator Raquel Debono posted video messages questioning whether efforts to publicize and pressure employers over such speech were consistent with conservative opposition to "cancel culture."
Employers that issued terminations and suspensions cited violations of social media and conduct policies and said they must balance free‑speech rights with obligations to maintain safe workplaces. As investigations and public disclosures continue, more cases may emerge; several institutions said they were reviewing complaints and taking action where comments violated policies.
The killing of Kirk and the subsequent cascade of online remarks and workplace punishments have intensified a national debate about political violence, the boundaries of permissible speech for employees, and how institutions should respond when staff make public statements about highly charged events.
