A school resource officer assigned to an affluent suburban New York school district was removed from her school post after social media posts that appeared to mock the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk circulated online, the Westchester County Police Department confirmed.
Tanisha Blanche, employed by the Westchester County Police Department and assigned to Somers Intermediate School in Westchester County, was pulled from her school duties and reassigned to administrative work while the department investigates the matter, a department spokesperson told Fox News Digital. Screenshots of several posts attributed to Blanche began circulating this week after Kirk was fatally shot while speaking at an event on the campus of Utah Valley University on Wednesday.
The screenshots include posts that appeared to celebrate Kirk's death. In one post, alongside a video of Kirk, a user identified as Blanche wrote, "Well that white sniper was over qualified when he put that hole in your neck hunni bunni." In another alleged post responding to a video about the killing, the user wrote, "This is who y'all crying about on my feed? Get a life." Other posts referenced the race of the suspected shooter and the location of the attack.
Somers Superintendent of Schools Adam Bronstein notified parents in a letter saying the posts were "completely unacceptable" and that they "glorify violence," according to the New York Post. Bronstein said the Westchester County Police Department has affirmed another school resource officer would be assigned to the district on Monday and that he was working directly with police "to ensure the safety and continuity of our SRO program going forward."
The Westchester County Police Department confirmed Blanche will remain off school assignment and handle only administrative duties pending the department's review. Neither the Somers Central School District, Bronstein nor Blanche immediately responded to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
The incident follows other reports of disciplinary actions involving public employees who posted celebratory or inflammatory comments on social media after the killing. News outlets have reported, for example, that a Secret Service employee was placed on leave after allegedly celebrating Kirk's assassination. The events have prompted heightened scrutiny of public employees' social media conduct and how agencies respond to posts that appear to condone violence.
School resource officers serve as liaisons between law enforcement and school communities, and districts and police departments commonly emphasize their role in maintaining safety and building trust with students, staff and families. The reassignment of Blanche comes as school leaders and law enforcement agencies nationwide review policies and responses related to employee social media use in the wake of a high-profile campus shooting.
The police department has not released details about the timeline or scope of its investigation. The Westchester County Police Department's statement said only that Blanche would be reassigned administratively while the matter is addressed.
As the investigation proceeds, the district said it would maintain SRO coverage in the schools. Parents and community members have been informed of the personnel change by district officials, who said they were coordinating with the police department to safeguard students and staff.
Fox News Digital contributed reporting to this article.