'Insensitive, incendiary': Cleveland fire chief sent on leave for Charlie Kirk post; mayor orders probe

Justin Bibb, the Democrat mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, has put the city's fire chief on administrative leave for sharing an "insensitive" and "incendiary" social media post in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination.

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While stressing his firm belief in free speech, Bibb said the post "crossed the line" as it "romanticizes gun violence."


"This post romanticizes gun violence, a matter far too serious in a city where we mourn too many families every week, too many lives cut short, and too many children denied safe sleep in their beds," he wrote in a statement issued by his office.


"Chief Luke’s post crossed the line. It was insensitive, it was incendiary, and it did not reflect the values of compassion, unity, and safety that I strive to stand for—and that every public safety leader in this city should embody. Therefore, I am, effective immediately, placing Chief Luke on paid administrative leave pending an investigation," he added.

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In a Facebook post that now stands deleted, Anthony P Luke, the chief of the Cleveland Division of Fire, referred to Kirk and featured a cartoon showing elephants worshiping a golden rifle with one elephant declaring, "Bring out the next sacrifice!!" according to Fox News.

Kirk, a 31-year-old father of two, was shot dead at a college campus event in Utah on September 10. The FBI has arrested a suspect, Tyler Robinson, for the assassination of Kirk, in whose honour President Donald Trump ordered US flags to be flown half-staff until sunset, September 14. He also announced a posthumous Medal of Freedom, US' highest civilian award, for the slain activist.

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Luke, who was appointed as Cleveland’s 17th fire chief, now faces a formal review of his conduct.