More than 600 people were fired or disciplined for posting about the assassination of far-right activist Charlie Kirk, according to a Reuters investigation. The backlash, described as an ideological purge, targeted individuals who expressed joy or quoted Kirk's own words on gun deaths. A website named 'Charlie Kirk's Murderers' collated names and personal information, aiding complaints to employers.
Julie Strebe, a 55-year-old sheriff's deputy in Salem, Missouri, was among those terminated. After Kirk's death on 13 September 2025, she posted on Facebook: 'Empathy is not owed to oppressors.' She called Kirk a racist, sexist, and antisemite. Within days, calls for her firing spread online and to her workplace. She was suspended and then fired, with superiors citing posts made on the clock and a history of controversial posts—though the only example was a decade-old complaint about roadworks.
Strebe and her husband faced harassment, including homophobic slurs against their son and targeting of his business. A truck parked outside their home displayed a sign reading: 'Julie Strebe Supports the Assassination of Charles Kirk.' The couple set up security cameras and plan to move after 20 years in the town. Strebe, who had 19 years of service, says she lost her pension and ability to retire in six and a half years.
The Dent County sheriff's office declined to comment, citing legal restrictions. Strebe is part of a group seeking justice, claiming their right to free speech was violated. The website used to coordinate complaints has since been decommissioned.
