An MSNBC guest wildly speculated and floated the baseless idea on live television Wednesday that Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk may have been struck by "a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration."
During the segment, contributor Matthew Dowd said, "We don't know if this was a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration, we don't know if this was an accident, we don't know if this was a targeted attack. We have no idea ... we don't know any of the full details."
Critics immediately blasted the comments as reckless, insensitive, and agenda-driven, noting that Dowd's remarks were made while Kirk's condition was still uncertain.
Law enforcement, according to officials cited by the New York Post, believe the shooter fired from a building roughly 200 yards away in what investigators are treating as a deliberate attack.
The episode drew swift condemnation from conservative voices, who said MSNBC's willingness to air such conjecture reveals a deeper hostility toward right-leaning figures.
Facing backlash, the network later apologized, posting on social media a comment from MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler: "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."
Critics of the network claim the incident is the latest example of MSNBC prioritizing partisan spin over responsible journalism.
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