A political analyst at MSNBC has been fired for comments made after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old conservative commentator and co-founder of Turning Point USA.

Kirk was shot through the neck during an event at Utah Valley University on September 10. Authorities initially detained two people but later confirmed they had “no current ties” to the attack. Former President Donald Trump announced Kirk’s death on Truth Social, calling him “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk” and adding, “Charlie, we love you!”

While tributes poured in, some outlets faced backlash. TMZ issued an apology after laughter was heard during a live report. MSNBC faced criticism after analyst Matthew Dowd suggested Kirk had contributed to the “unfortunate environment” that led to his death. Dowd said, “He’s been one of the most divisive… pushing this sort of hate speech… hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions.”

MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler condemned his remarks as “inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable,” confirming Dowd’s firing. Dowd later apologized, writing: “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.”