A nurse at Henry Ford Health in Detroit was placed on administrative leave after posting a social media comment that appeared to endorse the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, the hospital said.
A hospital spokesperson said the intensive care unit team member "has been placed on leave while we internally investigate." The statement added: "The views expressed by the individual do not reflect the values of Henry Ford Health. We strongly and unequivocally condemn violence in all its forms."
The comment, posted beneath a thread about Kirk's killing, read, according to a screenshot provided to news outlets, "God he got the day he deserved." Hospital officials said they became aware of the post and placed the employee on leave while the matter is reviewed. The hospital did not identify the nurse.
The action comes amid a spate of employment consequences for healthcare workers and others who made posts appearing to celebrate or support violence after Kirk, 31, was fatally shot while speaking at a university in Utah on Sept. 10. In a separate case, Riverside Health in Virginia said a contracted anesthesiologist who made "highly inappropriate comments supporting violence against a public figure" had her contract terminated by North American Partners in Anesthesia, and the hospital said the individual was no longer affiliated with Riverside.
Riverside Health said the contract termination occurred by mid-morning on Sept. 11. Henry Ford Health did not provide a timeline for when it first saw the social media comment or for how long the internal review will continue.
Employers and professional licensing boards have increasingly confronted employees' off-duty social media activity when it involves threats or praise of violence. Healthcare institutions have emphasized patient safety and workplace standards in announcing disciplinary actions, and many said investigations will consider whether posts violate employee conduct policies.
Hospital officials declined to comment on personnel details beyond the public statement. The posts that prompted the actions have drawn condemnation from public officials and others across the political spectrum for appearing to endorse violence.
Kirk, a conservative activist and commentator, had been speaking to students when he was shot. Law enforcement officials in Utah have said they are investigating the killing; authorities have provided few public details as the inquiry continues. Employers who have disciplined workers said their actions reflected a need to uphold workplace values and to distance institutions from statements that condone violence.