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A Florida Atlantic University finance professor is the latest prominent South Floridian to join those facing criticism for making comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination, but not for making light of the killing like others in the hot seat.
On Tuesday, Rebel Cole, a professor in FAU’s College of Business, announced his suspension and ban from the Boca Raton campus on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, for a post he apparently made on X days earlier.
For challenging disgusting X posts about Charlie Kirk's assassination using my personal X account, Florida Atlantic University's administrators in the Provost's Office have suspended me and banned me from campus.
This has caused grievous damage to my reputation.@elonmusk
— Rebel A. Cole (@RebelACole) September 17, 2025
“We are going to hunt you down. We are going to identify you,” the post, which he seemingly made in reponse to someone criticizing Kirk, reads. “Then we are going to make you radioactive to polite society. And we will make you both unemployed and unemployable.”
Cole posted similar remarks replying to those who criticized Kirk’s rhetoric.
Fabulous website!
We are going to hunt you down.
We are going to identify you.
Then we are going to make you radioactive to polite society
And we will make you both unemployed and unemployable. https://t.co/B32t3BDQSa
— Rebel A. Cole (@RebelACole) September 12, 2025
Cole has since taken to X to proclaim he did nothing wrong and ask those who agree to donate to his apparent impending legal challenge, asking for a cool $500,000 on GiveSendGo.com.
“I knew those disgusting posts weren’t just wrong but were deeply harmful. I felt compelled to step in publicly to call out those dancing on Charlie’s grave with posting on social media, countering their vitriol,” Cole wrote in the pecuniary plea. “It was a small act of support during an incredibly dark time-a decision that would unexpectedly turn my life upside down.
“Suddenly, without warning, someone filed a report with FAU administrators claiming that my posts had ‘threatened students.’ The accusation felt like a punch in the gut. I am not only falsely accused but also facing expensive legal repercussions for simply standing up against cyberbullying and supporting free speech – the very values we’re fighting for.”
The campaign had raised $0 as of Wednesday morning.
FAU hasn’t posted about Cole’s suspension, despite doing so after suspending another professor for appearing to make light of Kirk’s killing.
“We do not comment on personnel matters,” an FAU spokesperson responded to New Times‘ request for comment. “Our focus remains on our academic community’s responsibility to promote civil discourse, conduct healthy debate, and treat one another with respect,” the emailed statement reads. “This applies to all members of the FAU community, no matter their political leanings.”
Cole joins a Palmetto Bay councilman, as well as staff at the University of Miami, Florida Atlantic University, and Miami County Day in the hot seat for comments made about Kirk. He led Turning Point USA, a nonprofit organization that traveled nationwide to high schools and universities to advocate for conservative policies. Turning Point’s anti-woke messaging and grassroots mobilization of Gen Z and Millennials played an influential role in President Donald Trump’s second run for office.
Kirk is perhaps most famous for viral videos of him verbally sparring with college students over gun rights, abortion, immigration, and other hot-button issues. A superstar in conservative circles and a controversial figure to many Democrats, Kirk’s death has dominated every sector of social media, inspiring some to make light of the situation.
Palmetto Bay
Councilman Steve Cody could be the latest to lose his role for sardonic comments he made about Kirk last week.
Village councilors late Monday voted 4-1 to censure and remove Councilman Steve Cody after he posted a widely circulated Kirk quote about shooting deaths and called him a “fitting sacrifice to our Lords Smith & Wesson,” according to Politico. If Gov. Ron DeSantis sides with village councilors, Cody would join at least two other prominent South Floridians to lose their jobs for comments made about the political assassination.
Cody shared a Kirk quote about how it was “worth to have a cost of – unfortunately – some gun deaths every single year,” to preserve the Second Amendment, according to Politico.
“Charlie Kirk is a fitting sacrifice to our Lords Smith & Wesson,” Cody wrote alongside the post, referring to the firearms manufacturer. “Hallowed be their names.”
Cody told Playbook, a Politico podcast, that he awoke the next day and realized his post was “incredibly stupid.” He deleted the post and issued an apology, but not before his thoughts went viral and led to calls for his resignation. Scores of residents packed the Monday meeting to express their disgust and disapproval of his comments, with many arguing Cody’s comments put Palmetto Bay in an unflattering national spotlight.
“His disgraceful comments show he can no longer serve and represent Palmetto Bay,” one resident, who threatened to open a Turning Point USA chapter nearby in retaliation, said.
“There’s no way you can continue as a useful member of this council,” another commented.
Some defended Cody’s right to write what he wants on his personal accounts. One woman advised people to just keep scrolling and ignore posts they disdain on social media.
“We are taking a lot of time on a post, and the villager who made the post apologized,” she said.
Others urged him to take the loss and move on, noting that while he has a First Amendment right to post on his personal social media, that doesn’t shield him from consequences.
Miami Country Day
Following his comments about Kirk, Glen Turf resigned as chief officer for global learning opportunities, belongings, and empowerment at Miami Country Day, a prestigious private pre-K to 12 school in Miami Shores, according to WSVN News. The post ignited outrage from the community, including calls for his resignation from people like far-right activist Enrique Tarrio.
Turf’s post read, “He died. Oh well, he ironically promoted gun usage. Karma,” according to the outlet.
The school’s president confirmed to WSVN that Turf resigned following the comments.
University of Miami
The university fired Dr. Michelle Bravo, a neurologist, on Saturday after comments she posted about the shooting, according to the Miami Herald.
According to the publication, Bravo wrote on X, “What was done to Charlie Kirk has been done to countless Palestinian babies, children, girls, boys, women and men not just over the past two years of the ongoing genocide, but decades. And whenever it happened, and it’s on camera and we all saw it, Charlie Kirk came out to say: ‘I love this, I want more of this. The people who did this are great and I love them and they should keep doing it forever.’ As Malcom said, the chickens have come home to roost.”
On Saturday, the university responded with a social media post, saying that an employee, whom it did not name in the post, was “no longer employed by our institution.” The post, whose comments were disabled, contained no caption.
Florida Atlantic University
A professor in Boca Raton is facing calls for termination after her comments on Kirk’s death. In a social media post Saturday, FAU President Adam Hasner announced the university was aware of controversial posts a tenured professor made about the shooting. Administration placed the professor on administrative leave pending an investigation.
— Florida Atlantic University (@FloridaAtlantic) September 13, 2025
WPBF News identified the teacher as art history associate professor Dr. Karen Leader, who spoke to the outlet.
“I did not mention his death or his murder,” Leader told the outlet. “I reposted information about who Charlie Kirk was, including videos, quotes, and articles. My intention, along with other posters, was to counter a rapidly emerging narrative insisting that Mr. Kirk was moderate.”
While many commenters thanked the university for taking the measure, several said it didn’t go far enough. Some self-proclaimed university donors commented on FAU’s post that they’d be withholding funding until the administration fires Leader.
