MSNBC issued a public apology after political analyst Matthew Dowd made remarks on air about the environment that produces political violence in the immediate aftermath of a shooting at an event where conservative activist Charlie Kirk was gravely wounded and later died.

“During our breaking news coverage of the shooting of Charlie Kirk, Matthew Dowd made comments that were inappropriate, insensitive, and unacceptable,” MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler said in a statement. “We apologize for his statements, as has he. There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise.”

Dowd, a long-standing political commentator who served as chief strategist for George W. Bush’s 2004 presidential campaign, apologized publicly on the social platform BlueSky, saying he regretted his “tone and words” and did not intend to blame Kirk for the attack. A network source told TIME that Dowd is no longer with MSNBC.

On air, after acknowledging that details of the shooting were limited, Dowd said of Kirk: “He’s been one of the most divisive, especially divisive, younger figures in this, who is constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech aimed at certain groups. And I always go back to, hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions.” He added, “You can’t stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and not expect awful actions to take place.”

Kirk, 31, the co-founder of Turning Point USA and a prominent supporter of former President Donald Trump, was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University on what organizers described as the first stop of his fall campus tour. He was struck in the neck amid a crowd of thousands and later died, authorities and the White House confirmed. President Joe Biden was not involved in the comments; President Trump announced Kirk’s death and released a video calling the shooting “a dark moment for America.”

Police in Utah have conducted a manhunt for a suspect, which entered its second day as investigators worked to determine a motive. Law enforcement officials have released limited details about the attack as they pursue leads.

The killing drew rapid political commentary. In his video statement, Trump said Kirk “had the heart of the youth in the United States” and blamed what he called “radical left political violence,” linking heated rhetoric to physical attacks. Other political figures and organizations called for calm and condemned political violence across the spectrum.

MSNBC’s apology and Dowd’s subsequent statement followed a period of heightened sensitivity during live coverage of a developing and fatal incident. Networks frequently caution contributors to avoid drawing rapid causal links while facts are still emerging; in this instance, the broadcaster said Dowd’s remarks fell short of its standards.

The shooting of Kirk comes amid a year marked by several high-profile incidents of politically tinged violence in the United States. Incidents since the start of 2025 include an arson attack at the home of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, the fatal shootings of Minnesota state legislators and their spouses, the killing of two Israeli embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., and other politically motivated attacks and threats. Analysts and officials have expressed concern that such episodes can intensify polarization and spur further radicalization.

Kirk had been an active presence on college campuses and in conservative political organizing, and he played a visible role in support of Trump’s 2024 campaign. At a Turning Point conference in Detroit in June 2024, Trump praised Kirk’s influence with young conservatives, calling them “young patriots.”

As the investigation into the Utah shooting continues, both media organizations and public officials face scrutiny over how they discuss and frame political violence while facts remain limited. MSNBC’s statement that there is “no place for violence in America, political or otherwise” underscored a widely voiced call for restraint and a focus on verified information as law enforcement works to identify and apprehend a suspect.