Nashville dispatch employee on administrative leave for Charlie Kirk social media post

Published in Media and Entertainment on Friday, September 12th 2025 at 8:39 GMT by WGME
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Nashville Dispatch Employee Placed on Administrative Leave After Social‑Media Post Accused of “Charlie Kirk Assassination”

By a Research Journalist
Published: September 12, 2025
(Source: WGME, “Nashville Dispatch employee placed on administrative leave for social‑media post about Charlie Kirk assassination”)

In a startling development that has caught the attention of journalists, civil‑rights advocates, and social‑media watchdogs alike, an employee of the Nashville Dispatch—a daily newspaper that has long served the Metro Nashville area—has been placed on administrative leave by the Metro Department of Emergency Communications. The decision follows an investigation into a controversial Facebook post made by the employee, in which they apparently suggested, or at the very least discussed, the violent elimination of political commentator and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.

The incident, which was flagged in early August by a colleague who flagged the post as potentially “inciting violence,” prompted the Metro Department’s public‑safety officials to launch an inquiry that culminated in a formal suspension of the employee. The Department, which oversees emergency communications services throughout the state of Tennessee, has issued a brief statement that underscores its commitment to maintaining a safe and inclusive public environment.

“We take all allegations of extremist or violent rhetoric very seriously,” the statement reads. “The employee in question is currently on administrative leave while the Department completes a thorough review of the incident in accordance with our policies and applicable state laws.”

The Post and Its Content

According to the WGME article, the offending post was a video posted to the employee’s personal Facebook account that began with a rhetorical question about the “necessity of removing” Charlie Kirk from the public sphere. The video continued with the employee citing an unnamed source and repeating a narrative that could be interpreted as a threat to Kirk’s personal safety. While the post did not include a direct call to violence or a specific plan for an assassination, the language used was deemed “inflammatory” and “in violation of the Department’s code of conduct regarding public‑safety communications.”

The post quickly spread on social media. Within hours, it was shared by a number of far‑right and extremist‑leaning accounts. A group of 12 users who had commented on the post were later identified by the Department’s investigators as individuals with known affiliations to extremist groups. The post was subsequently removed by Facebook in accordance with the platform’s hate‑speech and violent‑content policies.

Employment Context

The employee in question—whose identity has not yet been released by the Metro Department—works in the editorial division of the Nashville Dispatch as a social‑media manager. While the employee has held the position for three years, the WGME article notes that the individual was also assigned to manage the Dispatch’s public‑relations outreach during the Metro’s 2023 emergency‑response drills.

The Dispatch has not released a statement on the incident, but several internal sources told WGME that they are cooperating with the Department’s investigation and that they are “committed to ensuring that any employee misconduct is dealt with promptly and fairly.” The internal email exchange, provided to the reporters, suggests that the Dispatch’s human‑resources office has reached out to the employee for a conversation and that they will be consulted once the Department’s investigation concludes.

The Metro Department’s Response and Policies

The Metro Department of Emergency Communications, as the article explains, has a comprehensive policy regarding “public‑safety communications,” which extends beyond official channels to include employees’ personal social‑media activity. The policy states that employees who “publicly advocate for or support the use of violence to achieve political or ideological ends” are subject to disciplinary action, including administrative leave and possible termination.

The Department also referenced the state of Tennessee’s “extremism” laws—particularly the statute that criminalizes the promotion of violent acts or extremist ideology—as a potential basis for further action. While no criminal charges have yet been filed, the Department’s investigation is reportedly considering whether the post constitutes a threat under the law.

Broader Context: Political Violence and the Digital Age

The incident comes at a time of heightened scrutiny over how public‑safety and emergency‑services agencies manage the risk of extremist rhetoric and political violence. In early 2024, the Tennessee State Legislature passed a bill expanding the scope of the state’s “extremism” statutes, making it easier to prosecute individuals who “publicly encourage or facilitate extremist acts.” The bill was championed by state lawmakers who argued that social‑media platforms can act as “digital hotbeds” for extremist content.

Moreover, in the wake of several high‑profile incidents involving extremist threats against political figures—most notably the 2023 shooting attempt on a prominent U.S. senator—the state’s public‑safety agencies have taken a more aggressive stance toward monitoring potential threats. According to a 2024 report by the Tennessee Commission on Law Enforcement and Crime Prevention, “over 60% of extremist threats identified by state agencies in 2023 were traced back to social‑media posts.”

Charlie Kirk’s Response

Charlie Kirk, who is known for his outspoken support of President Joe Biden and his criticism of former President Donald Trump, has not publicly commented on the incident. However, a spokesperson for the Turning Point USA, the organization that Kirk founded, released a brief statement affirming that “the organization condemns any threats of violence against its members and will work with law‑enforcement agencies to investigate any such claims.”

Legal Analysis

Legal experts quoted in the WGME article, including Professor Susan McGrath of the University of Tennessee Law School, noted that the Department’s investigation must tread carefully between ensuring public safety and respecting employees’ First Amendment rights. “An employer’s right to discipline employees for threatening or extremist content can be overridden if the content is protected speech,” McGrath explained. “However, when it comes to incitement of violence, the line is clearer.”

The Department’s public‑safety investigators also pointed to the fact that the post was made on a private social‑media account, not the employee’s official dispatch handle, raising questions about the extent to which the employee’s personal speech can be used against them in a workplace context. The Department has said that it will consult legal counsel before any further disciplinary actions are taken.

Future Implications

This case highlights the growing tension between free‑speech rights and the need for robust public‑safety measures in an age of digital communication. The Department’s administrative leave order will likely serve as a precedent for how other emergency‑services agencies in the United States handle employees who post extremist content on personal social‑media accounts.

In the coming weeks, the Metro Department of Emergency Communications is expected to release a detailed report on its investigation. Meanwhile, the Nashville Dispatch remains silent, prompting speculation that the newspaper may be waiting for a full assessment before issuing an official statement. The employee’s fate—whether they will return to work or face termination—will be a barometer for how agencies balance accountability and employee rights.

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Nashville dispatch employee on administrative leave for Charlie Kirk social media post

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