MSNBC analyst’s shocking statement about Charlie Kirk exposed.
MSNBC has severed ties with a political analyst following explosive comments about Charlie Kirk’s fatal shooting.
Charlie Kirk’s rise highlighted.
Charlie Kirk, 31, rose to fame as a conservative youth organizer, founding Turning Point USA and quickly becoming a polarizing figure in American politics.
Kirk married his wife Erika in 2020, and the couple has two young children, a three-year-old daughter and a 16-month-old son.
Kirk’s rise was marked by college campus activism, controversial speeches, and a relentless media presence that made him both admired and reviled.
He had just embarked on his “Great American Comeback Tour,” intending to rally supporters across the country after a brief hiatus from public appearances.
The shooting incident described.
Kirk was shot during an event at Utah Valley University, seated in a tented gazebo when the bullet struck his neck.
Screams erupted as those nearby rushed to his aid while others fled for safety.
UVU officials reported the shot came from the top of the Losee Center, about 200 feet away from Kirk’s position.
Authorities initially detained an elderly man, who was later released, then a ‘person of interest,’ who was also released, leaving the gunman still at large.
Sophie Anderson, a bystander 100 feet from the stage, recalled, “He was shot in the neck and just fell over. They carried him off. All these kids are just falling apart and bawling.”
Analyst’s background and controversial comments revealed.
Matthew Dowd, a former chief strategist for George W. Bush’s 2004 re-election campaign, has been a long-time political analyst.
On-air, Dowd suggested the gunshot might have been fired by one of Kirk’s own supporters.
“[We] don’t know any of the full details of this yet,” Dowd said, sparking immediate backlash.
“We don’t know if this is a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration or… So we have no idea,” he added.
Dowd described Kirk as “one of the most divisive younger figures… who is constantly sort of pushing this sort of hate speech aimed at certain groups.”
“I always go back to hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions,” Dowd said.
He added, “You can’t stop with these awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and not expect awful actions to take place.”
Public backlash clarified.
Critics immediately slammed Dowd, calling his comments tone-deaf and insensitive.
“That’s disgusting. Put your politics aside and have some humanity. Charlie is a person, a husband and father,” one user tweeted.
“Man, it’s tragic. It’s crazy how MSNBC will just say ‘whoopsie’ and sweep this under the rug like they always do,” another added.
Even Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy weighed in: “I’m gonna go ahead and rule out that it was one of Charlie Kirk’s supporters that accidentally shot him.”
Dowd’s apology unveiled.
Earlier Wednesday, Dowd posted on Blue Sky: “My thoughts & prayers are w/ the family and friends of Charlie Kirk.”
“I apologize for my tone and words. Let me be clear, I in no way intended for my comments to blame Kirk for this horrendous attack,” he wrote.
“Let us all come together and condemn violence of any kind,” Dowd concluded.
The firing decision confirmed.
The firing comes just days after the network issued an initial apology for Dowd’s remarks during live coverage.
On Wednesday, Variety confirmed that Dowd had been officially let go from the network.
The Daily Mail reached out to MSNBC for comment but received no immediate update beyond the statement.
“During our breaking news coverage of the shooting of Charlie Kirk, Matthew Dowd made comments that were inappropriate, insensitive, and unacceptable,” said MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler.
“We apologize for his statements, as has he. There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise,” Kutler added.
Dowd’s career collapses after on-air meltdown.
The network may have tried to distance itself, but Dowd’s words are already cemented in one of the most explosive TV moments of the year.
With Kirk’s death shaking politics and media alike, the fallout shows no signs of slowing down.
And now, one analyst’s career is over—collapsing almost as suddenly as the tragedy he was caught commenting on.