--- title: MSNBC Apologizes Over Matthew Dowd’s Charlie Kirk Commentary description: "Matthew Dowd made comments that were inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable," read a statement from MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler. canonical: https://time.com/7316346/matthew-dowd-fired-reports-charlie-kirk-commentary-political-violence/ author: Callum Sutherland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2025-09-11T11:47:24.000Z article:modified_time: 2025-09-11T18:19:31.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: MSNBC Apologizes Over Matthew Dowd’s Charlie Kirk Commentary og:description: "Matthew Dowd made comments that were inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable," said MSNBC's president. og:url: https://time.com/7316346/matthew-dowd-fired-reports-charlie-kirk-commentary-political-violence/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt196c2580a5b78ff0/6998c9ad7323af6ed62bcd4a/GettyImages-2234098167.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4000 og:image:height: 2250 og:image:alt: Political Activist Charlie Kirk Shot Dead At Utah Valley University og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: MSNBC Apologizes Over Matthew Dowd’s Charlie Kirk Commentary twitter:description: "Matthew Dowd made comments that were inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable," said MSNBC's president. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt196c2580a5b78ff0/6998c9ad7323af6ed62bcd4a/GettyImages-2234098167.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 02:34 video:published: 2025-09-10 section: politics topics: Charlie Kirk shooting, Utah Valley University event, eyewitness accounts, event security, crowd panic, balcony protesters, gun violence, police presence, ticket checks, stampede genre: news report, eyewitness testimony tones: somber, distressing, urgent, raw emotions: fear (high), shock (high), grief (medium), distress (high) sentiment: negative audience: general news readers, politics followers, people following the Kirk shooting, students, security professionals people: Charlie Kirk organizations: Utah Valley University content_suitability: violence [00:20-00:41]; death [00:58-01:01]; tragedy [00:41-01:09]; profanity [01:19-01:22]; crime [01:41-02:07]; politics [00:20-01:32] transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # MSNBC Apologizes Over Matthew Dowd's 'Insensitive' On-Air Comments After Charlie Kirk Shooting > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=7b771de9-48cf-4952-9732-3ebd72409c34&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Charlie Kirk Dead After Being Shot at Utah Valley University Event [Watch (HLS stream): Charlie Kirk Dead After Being Shot at Utah Valley University Event](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/KdG3rb4M.m3u8) (2:34)  _Published 2025-09-10. Charlie Kirk, an influential conservative commentator and founder of the youth activist group Turning Point USA, has died after being shot at an event he was hosting at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. He was 31. President Donald Trump, a political ally and friend of Kirk's, announced his death in a post on social media._ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary The video presents eyewitness accounts from people who were at the Utah Valley University event where Charlie Kirk was shot. Witnesses describe the moment of the gunshot, the visible injury, the panic and the crowd rush that followed. They also describe the makeup of a balcony crowd that included some protesters, and they comment on the apparent lack of security checks and police presence. The accounts come from people in different positions at the venue, one about 15 feet away. ## Key points - A witness who was about 15 feet away says the gunshot came as a speaker mentioned shooters while discussing transgender gun violence. (00:17) - The witness says they saw a lot of blood come from Kirk's neck and believes they saw a man die. (00:31) - The witness says people were screaming and running, and they prayed while being brought down to the ground by others. (00:41) - The witness looked for a shooter but saw none, and says Charlie was taken away right away. (01:03) - About 60 people were on a balcony above Kirk's tent and could not see him; some chanted against him and held upsetting signs. (01:09) - A witness says tickets were not checked for some attendees, there were no pat-downs, and only three or four police officers were visible among hundreds of people. (01:41) - Another witness says the crowd ran like a mob through the doors after the gunshot, and they were trampled and pushed through the doors. (02:13) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:41] Eyewitness describes the shooting moment. A witness 15 feet away recounts hearing the gunshot and seeing the injury and blood. - [00:41 to 01:09] Panic and fear in the aftermath. The witness describes screaming, people running, prayers and the absence of a visible shooter. - [01:09 to 01:37] Balcony crowd and protest chants. Witnesses describe the balcony above the tent, including chanting and signs, and the supportive response from others. - [01:37 to 02:07] Concerns about event security. A witness describes unchecked tickets, no pat-downs and few police officers present. - [02:07 to 02:34] Crowd rush through the doors. Another witness describes the gunshot and the stampede in which they were trampled. ## Key quotes - [00:31] Witness: "You like, you just see his neck just, like, open up." - [00:55] Witness: "please God, please God, please God." - [01:47] Witness: "They did not pat us down." - [02:00] Witness: "but there was not much security precautions taken. There was none." - [02:24] Witness: "I got trampled in the crowd and, like," ## Questions this video answers - What did a witness near Charlie Kirk see and hear when he was shot? [00:17] - How did the crowd react immediately after the gunshot? [00:41] - Who was on the balcony above Kirk's tent and what were they doing? [01:09] - What did witnesses say about security at the event? [01:41] - What happened to people trying to leave the venue after the shot? [02:13] ## Content suitability - violence [00:20-00:41]: Witness describes a gunshot and a graphic neck injury with heavy bleeding. - death [00:58-01:01]: Witness says they believe they saw a man die. - tragedy [00:41-01:09]: Witness describes screaming, panic and fear for life after the shooting. - profanity [01:19-01:22]: Chants against Charlie Kirk containing a profanity are mentioned. - crime [01:41-02:07]: Discussion of lax security and the lack of ticket checks and pat-downs at the shooting event. - politics [00:20-01:32]: Event involved political commentary, including a mention of transgender gun violence, and protesters opposing Kirk. by [Callum Sutherland](https://time.com/author/callum-sutherland/) ## Callum Sutherland Reporter Updated: Sep 11, 2025 6:19 PM UTCPublished: Sep 11, 2025 11:47 AM UTC  Charlie Kirk throws President Trump's trademark "Make America Great Again" hats to the crowd at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025, in Orem, Utah. Charlie Kirk throws President Trump's trademark "Make America Great Again" hats to the crowd at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025, in Orem, Utah. Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune—Getty Images by [Callum Sutherland](https://time.com/author/callum-sutherland/) ## Callum Sutherland Reporter Updated: Sep 11, 2025 6:19 PM UTCPublished: Sep 11, 2025 11:47 AM UTC MSNBC issued an apology over on-air comments made by political analyst Matthew Dowd in the wake of [the shooting](https://time.com/7316280/charlie-kirk-dead-political-violence/) of influential conservative activist [Charlie Kirk](https://time.com/7096594/charlie-kirk-conservative-activist-republican-donald-trump-campaign-figure/), before his death had been confirmed. “During our breaking news coverage of the shooting of Charlie Kirk, Matthew Dowd made comments that were inappropriate, insensitive, and unacceptable,” read a [statement](https://x.com/MSNBCPR/status/1965913652671754280) from MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler. “We apologize for his statements, as has he. There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise.” Dowd, a long-standing political commentator, who served as the chief strategist for George W. Bush’s 2004 presidential campaign, was asked on-air to talk about “the environment in which a shooting like this happens.” After emphasizing that there were no details of the shooting at that time, Dowd said of Kirk: “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 aimed at certain groups. 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 we’re in. You can’t stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and not expect awful actions to take place. And that’s the unfortunate environment we are in.” Following the on-air commentary, a source at the network has told TIME that Dowd is no longer with MSNBC. On Thursday morning, during the opening of MSNBC's _Morning Joe_ show, host Joe Scarborough, a former Republican member of the House of Representatives, praised MSNBC's leadership in condemning Dowd's remarks. “Matthew Dowd yesterday came on and made a wild speculation that was obviously wrong and extraordinarily hurtful to many people, and Rebecca Kutler said so last night, \[she\] came out and condemned his words in the strongest terms, so we’re glad that she did that,” Scarborough said. **Read More**: [_The Killing of Charlie Kirk and the Political Violence Haunting America_](https://time.com/7316280/charlie-kirk-dead-political-violence/) Dowd himself apologized prior to the statement from MSNBC’s president. “My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Charlie Kirk. On an earlier appearance on MSNBC I was asked a question on the environment we are in. I apologize for my tone and words,” [Dowd said via BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/matthewjdowd.bsky.social/post/3lyj6q4qgdc2l). “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.” Kirk, 31, died on Wednesday after he was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University on the first stop of his fall campus tour. The co-founder of Turning Point USA, a conservative non-profit student organization, was surrounded by thousands of attendees when he was struck in the neck. The manhunt for Kirk's killer has entered its second day, as police continue searching for a suspect.[](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/us/charlie-kirk-martyr-conservative-christians.html) A strong ally of President Donald Trump, Kirk played a key role during the 2024 presidential election as he promoted Trump’s campaign and messaging on campuses across the U.S. “Charlie Kirk is helping. He’s got his army of young people. These are young patriots,” Trump said while speaking at the [Turning Point Action Conference in Detroit in June](https://www.c-span.org/video/?c5120988/donald-trump-speaks-turning-point-action-conference) 2024\. “We thank you, Charlie.” **Read More:** [_Meet Charlie Kirk, the Conservative Activist Who Is a Key Figure in Trump’s Campaign_](https://time.com/7096594/charlie-kirk-conservative-activist-republican-donald-trump-campaign-figure/) It was Trump who [announced Kirk’s death](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115181934991844419) on Wednesday. The President praised his work and said “no one understood or had the heart of the youth in the United States of America better than Charlie.” Trump further [addressed](https://time.com/7316299/charlie-kirk-shot-death-donald-trump-speech-transcript-political-violence/) the incident in a video statement, during which he said the shooting is “a dark moment for America” and argued “radical left political violence has hurt too many innocent people and taken too many lives.” “For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis… this kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country and it must stop right now,” said Trump, who also referenced the [assassination attempt on his own life](https://time.com/6999231/trump-shooting-parallels-history/) that took place during a rally in Butler, Pa., in July 2024. There has been a rise in political violence in America which has seen people of all political affiliations targeted. This year alone has seen the residence of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, [set](https://time.com/7277727/cody-balmer-arson-suspect-governor-josh-shapiro/) on fire by an arsonist, the fatal shooting of [two Democratic Minnesota legislators and their spouses](https://time.com/7294233/minnesota-lawmakers-melissa-hortman-husband-killed-john-hoffman-wife-shot/), the [killing of two Israeli embassy staffers](https://time.com/7287783/trump-israeli-embassy-staff-dc-shooting-politicians-react/) outside the Capital Jewish Museum in D.C., a man shouting "free Palestine" [tossing Molotov cocktails at a pro-Israeli demonstration](https://time.com/7290355/boulder-colorado-attack-what-we-know/) in Boulder, Co., and a gunman who allegedly held anti-vaccine views [opening fire at the CDC headquarters](https://time.com/7308980/cdc-shooting-dark-sign-america/) in Atlanta. There are now concerns that this latest instance of political violence—the killing of Kirk—could serve as a catalyst for further division and radicalization. ## Transcript [00:17] I was 15ft away. [00:20] They talked about transgender gun violence and then, [00:23] as the guy said, [00:24] shooting or shooters or something like that, [00:27] you just hear the gunshot and I'm sorry. [00:31] You like, you just see his neck just, like, open up. [00:35] And there's just, like, so much blood that just came out. [00:39] It was horrible. [00:41] And all I felt was like everybody bringing me down to the ground, [00:44] and I was sorry. Take your time. [00:47] Take your time. [00:48] I just all I hear is screaming. [00:50] And I see people running. And I'm like, [00:51] it's not safe to run. It's not safe to get up. [00:53] It's not. And all I'm saying is, [00:55] please God, please God, please God. [00:56] Because I don't want to die. I don't want anybody else to die. [00:58] And I, I think I just saw a guy die, you know? [01:01] It was horrifying. It was horrible. [01:03] I looked to see if there was a shooter. [01:04] I didn't see anything. [01:05] All I could see was Charlie was taken right away. [01:09] There was only, maybe I would say 60, [01:13] 60 people on this balcony that couldn't even see Charlie. [01:15] They were like, on a balcony above, like his tent. [01:18] Now we're all saying, you know, [01:19] chanting f Charlie Kirk things like that, [01:22] and had signs saying some pretty upsetting things about him. That was it. [01:26] Everybody else was drowning out the sound and saying how [01:29] grateful we are that he took the time to see us and talk to us. [01:32] We had questions. [01:33] We wanted to talk to him. [01:35] And yeah. [01:37] Instead, somebody selfish didn't didn't care if I'm going to be honest, [01:41] I had friends coming in asking if they needed tickets, [01:44] and I said they didn't even check for my ticket, [01:46] which I did get a ticket. [01:47] They did not pat us down. [01:49] Um, I feel like I maybe saw [01:51] 3 or 4 police officers in this whole environment of hundreds of people, [01:55] I would guess, um, [01:56] which I thought was a little odd, [01:58] but at the same time I thought, well, you know, [02:00] it's Utah, which is probably an ignorant thought to think, [02:02] but there was not much security precautions taken. There was none. [02:07] So I was watching the event and, [02:10] um, I saw Charlie Kirk start talking and stuff, [02:13] and all of a sudden I saw he I all of a sudden in a second later, [02:17] I heard a gunshot, [02:18] and everybody started, like, running in, [02:21] like a mob through the doors and like, it was scary. [02:24] I got trampled in the crowd and, like, [02:27] just, like, pushed through the doors. 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