Bristol County firefighter placed on leave over social media comments concerning Charlie Kirk

A firefighter from the South Coast has been put on administrative leave following a controversial Facebook post regarding the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

According to New Bedford Light, New Bedford Fire Chief Brian Medeiros confirmed that Jonathan Pacheco was placed on paid administrative leave starting September 15th.

Pacheco will stay on leave during an inquiry into potential breaches of the city’s social media guidelines, the Fire Department’s protocols, and the municipality’s policies against discrimination and harassment, according to Medeiros.

The probe and suspension were prompted by backlash from online conservative figures who spotlighted Pacheco’s personal Facebook entry.

A screenshot shared by X user ConservativeAnt on September 15th captured what seemed to be Pacheco’s post labeling Kirk as “a scumbag fascist.”

Meet Jonathan from New Bedford Fire Department 😡 pic.twitter.com/t9gaxmrRhK

— ConservativeAnt (@conservativ3ant) September 15, 2025

“Charlie Kirk is not a martyr, he is a casualty of the hatred and violence that he so willingly condoned and spread for years,” the message stated. “Nobody is celebrating that someone was killed for ‘disagreeing.’ People are celebrating because Kirk was a scumbag fascist and the world is a better place without him. If that statement upsets you, do me a favor and go reacquaint yourself with what fascism is, read what he wrote, and watch the clips of him spewing hateful, misogynistic and racist rhetoric. As far as how he went out? As brutal as it was, that shit is as American as Apple Pie.”