Chicago City Wire

A college recruiter at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is facing backlash for posting a graphic message on social media appearing to celebrate the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

Kirk, the 31-year-old CEO and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was killed during a student event in Utah on Sept. 10. The alleged shooter has been described as a supporter of leftist ideology and was reportedly living with a transgender partner.

Serena Luciano, who identifies as a college recruiter for UIC’s College of Architecture, Design and the Arts, posted on social media shortly after Kirk’s death.

“Just came on here to say charlie kirk can rest in fucking piss and yet again if you have any empathy at all for people like this you can ahead and remove yourself as my friend,” Luciano wrote. “I do not give a fuck about the death of a person who devoted his entire life spreading racist, xenophobic, misogynistic rhetoric. It's hot as fuck where this man currently is and it's deserved.”

Luciano is reportedly not a U.S. citizen.

Kirk, who was on a tour of universities at the time of his death, was a native of Arlington Heights. He co-founded Turning Point USA in a garage in Lemont and frequently referenced his suburban Chicago roots while hosting events at Illinois colleges.

The controversy surrounding Luciano’s post comes amid a national reckoning over inflammatory responses to Kirk's death by public employees and others in positions of influence. The assassination has led to several high-profile dismissals across media, education, aviation and federal law enforcement sectors.

In one widely reported case, MSNBC analyst Mike Dowd was dismissed after posting a now-deleted comment regarding Kirk’s death.

Delta and American Airlines placed pilots on leave, and universities including Middle Tennessee State and Florida Atlantic fired staff who made celebratory or derogatory remarks online.

The Florida education commissioner has also launched a review of all public school personnel linked to what officials have called “applauding political violence.”

Luciano’s post is one of the most explicit to surface from an employee affiliated with a public university. Critics are calling for her immediate dismissal, citing UIC’s responsibility as a taxpayer-funded institution.

UIC is also facing criticism over its immigration-related policies amid increased federal enforcement. The university has been accused by some of undermining federal law through policies offering in-state tuition, sanctuary-style protections and resources intended to shield undocumented students from immigration consequences.

A recent campus-wide email advised UIC community members to avoid direct engagement with federal law enforcement and to report their presence to campus police. The message came in the wake of Operation Midway Blitz, a Department of Homeland Security campaign targeting undocumented immigrants with criminal records in Illinois.

Illinois Republican lawmakers have also responded to similar controversies involving campus speech and conduct. 

House Minority Leader Tony McCombie(R-Savanna) condemned the killing and warned of what she called a growing culture of intolerance on college campuses.

“It is deeply disturbing that hatred has escalated to the point where lives are being stolen,” McCombie said in a press release after Kirk’s death. “That this happened while he was speaking on political violence at a university, a place that should be dedicated to free speech and the open exchange of ideas, makes it even more tragic. If ideas cannot be debated on campus without fear of violence, we have truly lost our way.”