MSNBC fires analyst after comments on Charlie Kirk shooter: report

MSNBC fired political analyst Matthew Dowd after his comments on the shooter of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, according to a report.

Two sources confirmed Dowd's firing to Fox News on Wednesday after Dowd suggested, before Kirk had died, that Kirk might have been shot by a supporter who was firing a gun in celebration.

Kirk, 31, was shot during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Wednesday, and died from the wound after being rushed to a hospital.

"We don't know any full details of this," Dowd said Wednesday, before speculating on the shooter's motive. "We don’t know if this was a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration. But following up with what was just said, 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, or sort of aimed at certain groups.

It's unclear what Dowd thought the shooting was or might have been celebrating.

“And I always go back to hateful thoughts, lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions, and I think that’s the environment that we’re in," Dowd continued. "You can’t stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have, and then saying these awful words, and then not expect awful actions to take place. And that’s the unfortunate environment we are in.”

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

Dowd posted an apology on the liberal social media platform Bluesky.

"On an earlier appearance on MSNBC I was asked a question on the environment we are in. 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. Let us all come together and condemn violence of any kind," Dowd wrote.

Dowd is a Democrat who was formerly a Republican strategist and an independent, and unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination for Texas lieutenant governor in 2021.

MSNBC declined Fox News' request for comment. Dowd joined MSNBC in 2022 after working at ABC News.