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An instructor is no longer employed at Bellarmine University after posting on Instagram, “if you’re gonna shoot, man, don’t miss,” above a news headline about the assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump.
Bellarmine placed John James, a nontenured full-time instructor in the English department, on unpaid leave Monday and, as of Tuesday, he is no longer an employee, said university spokesperson Jason Cissell. Asked whether James was fired, Cissell said, “It’s an employment matter, and I can’t speak to the specifics.”
Inside Higher Ed was unable to reach James Tuesday; a university page under his name is no longer online.
On Saturday, a 20-year-old man fired a bullet at Trump, striking him in the ear, at a rally. Secret Service agents killed the shooter. On Sunday, Libs of TikTok, a conservative X account with roughly 3.2 million followers, shared what Cissell said was a screenshot of James’s post.
“Meet John James. A professor at @bellarmineU,” Libs of TikTok posted alongside the alleged screenshot. “He’s very sad that the sh**ter missed. @bellarmineU any comment?” Libs of TikTok’s post had received more than 18,000 reposts on X and more than 44,000 likes as of Tuesday evening.
The Louisville Courier Journal reported that the university received a bomb threat Monday, which the institution said appeared to be related to the post, but police eventually deemed it not credible.
“Words and actions that condone violence are unacceptable and contrary to our values, which call for respecting the intrinsic value and dignity of every individual,” the Louisville-based Roman Catholic university said on X.
