Nick Mangold, who manned the offensive line for the New York Jets for a decade, is speaking out after the New Jersey town he lives in refused to honor conservative leader Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated last week.
"I'm disgusted and saddened by my town @MadisonNJ_gov and my state @NJGov," Mangold wrote Saturday on X, showing a picture of Madison flying its flag at full staff rather than at half-staff as directed by President Donald Trump following Kirk's death. "This is wrong on so many levels as an American husband and father was assassinated for expressing his right to free speech. "
Mangold, who was inducted into the Jets Ring of Honor, also tagged New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, Democrat nominee for governor Mikie Sherrill, Republican nominee for governor Jack Ciatarelli and Donald Trump Jr.
New York and New Jersey did not issue orders to lower flags for Kirk. State officials said New York plans to direct flags to be lowered on the day of Kirk's funeral, consistent with past practice for other high-profile deaths, the New York Post reported.
Kirk was fatally shot while speaking to students at Utah Valley University in Orem on Wednesday as part of a speaking tour. Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old suspected assassin, was arrested Friday and is expected to be charged with aggravated murder.
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