Cleveland Fire Chief Anthony Luke Removed From Duty After Sharing Social Media Post Saying “Bring Out the Next Sacrifice!!” Following Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
I read the news today and felt a knot in my chest. Cleveland’s Fire Chief Anthony P. Luke has been placed on paid administrative leave, according to city officials, after he shared a social media post that many called “insensitive” and “incendiary.” The post came after Charlie Kirk was tragically killed, and it showed a cartoon video with an assault rifle on a pedestal, elephants kneeling, and one of them saying, “Bring out the next sacrifice!!” A Charlie Kirk quote was rolling across the top.
Mayor Justin Bibb reacted quickly. He said that while free speech is protected under the First Amendment, public officials have responsibilities — especially those entrusted with roles in public safety. Bibb called the post romanticizing gun violence, which is especially serious in a city where too many people already live with the pain of gun tragedies.
I keep thinking about what it feels like in Cleveland now — the trust people have in their leaders, the grief after Kirk’s death, the anger or disappointment many must feel. The post struck a nerve. “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,” the mayor said.
It wasn’t just an opinion shared online. It was a cartoon that used violent symbolism in a time of mourning. The city mourns lives lost, sees too many families suffering, too many children unsafe, said the mayor. To many, what Luke posted seemed like celebrating violence — a deeply hurtful message for many.
As of the latest reports, the social media post has been removed. Luke is now off duty while the investigation proceeds.
I can’t help but wonder how things got to this point. Public leaders have platforms, and when they post something provocative, it echoes. “Bring out the next sacrifice” isn’t a throwaway joke. It carries weight, especially now. Rumors, grief, fear are already everywhere after Charlie Kirk’s death. In moments like this, people look for leadership that brings them together, not divides them.
So many in Cleveland, and beyond, want to believe in compassion, unity, safety. Words matter. Social media posts matter. How public officials use them matters even more. I feel for the families, for the hurting. I feel for a city trying to heal, and I feel for the responsibility that comes with power.
In the days ahead, the investigation will tell more: what exactly Luke meant; whether he understood how people would react; what he’ll say in his defense. But there’s something already certain — being a leader means the words you put out in the world can’t always be taken back. And sometimes, community demands more than an apology.
