A Burnley councillor has resigned after drawing widespread condemnation for a social media post in which she said US conservative commentator Charlie Kirk "made himself a target" and "brought this on himself" after he was shot dead while speaking at a university event in Utah.
Burnley Council confirmed the resignation on Thursday and said Ms. Wild was serving as an independent councillor at the time she stepped down. "People may be aware of a social media post made by former Independent Councillor Fiona Wild. We can confirm that Ms Wild has now resigned from her position," the council said.
In the post, which prompted an immediate backlash, Ms. Wild wrote: "I don't condone violence, but I do think he made himself a target and brought this on himself so good riddance to not a very nice man! America needs to get rid of the other t*t now," according to screenshots circulated online. Council leader Jamie McGowan, who earlier called for her resignation and described the remarks as "vile," welcomed her decision to quit. A local Conservative councillor said the comment showed a "nasty side" and noted the family impact, adding that "two small children have woken up without their daddy this morning." Ms. Wild has described herself online as a trade union activist and defender of the NHS and had left the Labour Party in August.
The remarks came after the killing of Charlie Kirk, a founder of the conservative group Turning Point USA and a prominent right-wing commentator who was speaking at a campus event in Utah when he was struck in the neck by a single bullet. He collapsed at the scene and later died, leaving behind his wife and two young children, according to several media reports. Authorities in Utah and the FBI have been conducting a manhunt for the shooter; officials detained and later released a person of interest following an interrogation.
Utah Governor Spencer Cox called the attack a "political assassination" and vowed to bring the person responsible to justice, saying investigators would "hold them accountable to the furthest extent of the law." FBI officials said the probe was ongoing and that information would be released in the interest of transparency.
The killing has prompted a wave of reactions across the United States and Britain, with senior politicians from across the UK political spectrum condemning political violence and offering condolences to Kirk's family. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said his "thoughts are with the loved ones of Charlie Kirk," adding that there can be "no justification for political violence." Several other figures, including Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and former prime minister Boris Johnson, issued statements decrying the killing and warning about the dangers of rising intolerance and threats to open discourse.
The incident has also intensified debate over rhetoric and responsibility in public life after a number of social media posts and television remarks from commentators and political figures drew anger.
A panel appearance on British television generated particular controversy after a guest, identified as Democratic strategist Joi Chaney, was shown appearing to laugh and saying that Kirk "wasn't admired and loved by all." Viewers criticised both the comments and the broadcaster for airing the segment so soon after the attack. On another programme, a commentator identified as Nels Abbey compared Kirk to David Duke, the former Ku Klux Klan leader, a remark that attracted sharp rebukes from viewers and politicians who said such comparisons were inappropriate in the immediate aftermath of the killing.
Other online posts from activists and commentators also fuelled outrage. One left‑leaning activist drew criticism for saying people who had defended civilian deaths in overseas conflicts might be "precious" about a single life, and a number of users called for more restraint and empathy given Kirk's family circumstances. Brendan Cox, whose wife Jo Cox was murdered in 2016, urged that the moment be used to "tone down the temperature" in political debate and warned that celebratory or dehumanising language can be dangerous in a volatile atmosphere.
The BBC and other broadcasters were criticised on social media for how they handled coverage and for platforming strong reactions shortly after the killing; the BBC has been approached for comment, according to programme producers.
Turning Point UK, a British offshoot of the US organisation Mr. Kirk helped found, said it planned a vigil in London and called on supporters to gather in Whitehall. In the United States, President Donald Trump described Mr. Kirk as a "martyr for truth and freedom" and ordered flags on some government buildings to be flown at half-mast.
Security procedures at the Utah event have also been questioned by attendees and commentators, with reports that there were no bag checks, metal detectors or checkpoints. Video circulated on social media showing a figure on a nearby rooftop moving away from the scene immediately after a shot was fired, and authorities said they were examining footage as part of the investigation.
Ms. Wild's resignation comes amid a wider debate about the tone of political discourse and the responsibilities of public figures and media organisations in the wake of violent attacks. Burnley Council reiterated that Ms. Wild was an independent member at the time of her resignation and no longer represented any political party on the authority.
Investigators in the United States said the search for the shooter continued and asked anyone with information to come forward. Meanwhile, the incident has reverberated internationally, prompting renewed discussion about free speech, political polarization and the potential for online and televised commentary to inflame tensions.
Officials in both countries called for calm and restraint in public statements as law enforcement pursues leads in the killing and as communities respond to the shock of the attack.