The attorney representing the suspect in the recent Austin Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shooting is facing criticism for a deleted social media post that appeared to mock the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, who is defending Wilber Garces Perez, an alleged undocumented immigrant shot by ICE officers, is under fire after a screenshot of a deleted post resurfaced. The post, attributed to Lincoln-Goldfinch, read, "How do you resist getting shot in the neck? Does Charlie Kirk have any advice on that?"
Conservatives on social media quickly decried the post. Andrew Kolvet, executive producer for the Charlie Kirk Show, stated on X, "Ladies and gentlemen, the lawyer representing the Venezuelan illegal who was shot in Austin by DHS after a high-speed car chase, is exactly how you'd imagine her." Conservative influencers and Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) also publicly criticized Lincoln-Goldfinch's remarks.
Lincoln-Goldfinch addressed the controversy in a statement to Fox News Digital, confirming the post was removed. "A post referencing the death of Charlie Kirk was removed from our account. We recognized the post could be misconstrued and that's why it came down. We have also addressed this issue internally," she said.
In a LinkedIn post from the previous year, Lincoln-Goldfinch offered condolences to the Kirk family, referencing "gun violence" as a key takeaway from the event.
Perez, 28, was shot by ICE officers on Sunday, an incident that led to protests and arrests in Austin. The Department of Homeland Security stated that Perez is an undocumented immigrant who fled during a vehicle stop. The department has also pushed back against claims it called misinformation regarding the shooting.
Lincoln-Goldfinch has publicly contested some government assertions on social media, including claims about Perez's immigration status.
Separately, the family of Charlie Kirk has initiated legal proceedings, filing a notice of claim against Utah Valley University and state authorities. This action is the first step towards a potential wrongful death lawsuit, citing alleged security failures at the university, including inadequate staffing and unsecured premises, during the event where Kirk was assassinated.