Virginia hospital severs ties with anesthesiologist after social media post on Charlie Kirk assassination
Riverside Health says a contracted clinician was fired for comments supporting violence against a public figure following the conservative commentator’s killing
A Virginia anesthesiologist contracted through an outside group was terminated after posting what Riverside Health described as "highly inappropriate comments supporting violence against a public figure" following the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, the hospital said.
Riverside Health said it became aware of the social media post on Thursday and "took prompt action and by mid-morning on Sept. 11, her contract through North American Partners in Anesthesia was terminated." The hospital did not release the clinician's name.
Charlie Kirk, 31, a conservative political figure, was fatally shot while speaking to students at a Utah university on Wednesday. In the days after the killing, several people across different workplaces have been suspended or fired for social media posts and comments that appeared to support or celebrate the violence, prompting scrutiny from employers and outside partners.
Riverside said the clinician was employed under contract by North American Partners in Anesthesia, a group that provides anesthesiology services to hospitals. Fox News Digital reached out to the group for comment.
The hospital's statement to Fox News Digital characterized the post as "highly inappropriate" and said the individual "is no longer affiliated with Riverside Health." It did not specify whether the clinician would face any additional professional or licensing review.
The fallout has extended beyond health care. In Cincinnati, the barbecue restaurant Lucius Q faced public backlash after co-owner Aaron Sharpe commented on a Facebook post offering prayers for Kirk's family, writing "Good riddance" and, in another reported line, "What a piece of s---." Screenshots of the remarks circulated widely online, and several of the restaurant's business partners and vendor sites announced they had cut ties. Lucius Q later said it had parted ways with Sharpe.
Employers have cited workplace policies and concerns about patient trust, public safety and organizational reputation when announcing disciplinary actions. Riverside did not elaborate on whether the clinician's conduct violated specific hospital or professional codes beyond the characterization in its statement.
The incidents follow national attention on reactions to Kirk's death and raise questions about how employers balance employees' personal social media activity with professional responsibilities, particularly in fields such as health care where public confidence and patient relationships are integral to operations.
Attempts to reach representatives for Lucius Q and Aaron Sharpe for comment were not immediately successful. Riverside's statement and subsequent reporting show a pattern of prompt employer responses in the wake of the assassination, as organizations address online speech that appears to endorse violence against a public figure.