Who is Matthew Dowd? MSNBC analyst fired for 'insensitive' comments blaming Charlie Kirk for his fatal shooting

UPDATE: Charlie Kirk's shooter was identified as Tyler Robinson, 22, from Utah. He was turned in by his father.

MSNBC has fired its analyst Matthew Dowd for his 'insensitive' comments about Charlie Kirk after he was shot dead at a Utah Valley University event, reported Variety.

ALSO READ: Who is Tyler Robinson? Charlie Kirk shooter, 22, was turned in by father after he confessed the murder

Dowd also indicated that a supporter could have killed Kirk by opening fire in "celebration." “We don’t know if this was a supporter shooting their gun off in celebration,” Dowd told anchor Katy Tur.

What was more tone-deaf was his comments suggesting the Kirk's words may led the shooter to commit the assassination. "You can’t stop with these sort of awful thoughts you have and then saying these awful words and then not expect awful actions to take place," said Dowd.

Who is Matthew Dowd?

Matthew Dowd joined MSNBC in 2022. Previously, he worked with ABC News for a long period. He recently ran as a Democrat for Texas lieutenant governor.

With Dowd's remarks triggering outrage on social media, MSNBC president Rebecca Kutler was on damage control mode, dismissing the comments as "inappropriate, insensitive, and unacceptable".

"During our breaking news coverage of the shooting of Charlie Kirk, Matthew Dowd made comments that were inappropriate, insensitive, and unacceptable," Kutler said in a statement on X.

"We apologise for his statements, as has he. There is no place for violence in America, political or otherwise," Kutler said.

Later, Dowd himself came forward with an apology. "My thoughts & prayers are w/ the family and friends of Charlie Kirk. On an earlier appearance on MSNBC I was asked a question on the environment we are in. I apologise for my tone and words. Let me be clear, I in no way intended for my comments to blame Kirk for this horrendous attack," he said. "Let us all come together and condemn violence of any kind."

Videos showed Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone while sitting under a white tent at Utah Valley University. Suddenly a shot is fired and blood is seen gushing out his neck. He was rushed to hospital but succumbed to his injuries later.