BREAKING: U of A law professor put on leave for comments about Charlie Kirk’s death

According to an email sent to law students that was shared with The Gateway, a professor in the faculty of law has been put on non-disciplinary leave while the University of Alberta conducts a review after online comments about the death of Charlie Kirk.

Kirk was fatally shot on September 10 while talking at a Utah Valley University event.

The email did not name the professor. The email read “following the death of American Charlie Kirk on September 10, the [U of A] has been made aware of several concerning online comments.”

It also stated that there’s been threats targeting various faculty, staff, and student groups. 

“Due to the violent nature of the attack on September 10 — and the fact that it was perpetrated on a university campus — the university administration must move to ensure the safety of all faculty, staff, and students, particularly those who are targets of online threats and vitriol,” the email said.

According to the email, the university will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves. 

In a statement provided over email, U of A media relations said that “due to privacy and safety considerations we cannot confirm the identity of the faculty involved.”

The statement also said that the non-disciplinary leave is a “temporary administrative step taken to allow a thorough review while supporting community safety.”

The Gateway also reached out to the Association of Academic Staff University of Alberta (AASUA) for comment, but did not provide comment before publication.

A professor from the University of Toronto has also been placed on leave after making a comment on X about Kirk’s death. More professors have been put on leave or suspended in the United States for similar comments.

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UPDATE: This article was updated at 2:47 p.m. on September 14, 2025 to include the U of A’s comment.