A Kansas State Department of Education employee has left the agency after posting that the assassination of Charlie Kirk was “well deserved.”

The Manhattan Mercury reported Monday that Katie Allen, a KSDE research analyst, “is no longer employed” there, after the firestorm over her Facebook post.

It’s not certain whether Allen, a former Democrat county chair, will continue in her elected position as a member of the Manhattan-Ogden Unified School District 383, a post she was elected to in 2023.

Allen quickly deleted her comment, which was made on another person’s post, and apologized.

“Late this afternoon I was walking to my car and scrolling Facebook,” she explained in a statement according to The Mercury, “and then [in] an emotional moment I commented on a post related to a recent shooting. I looked back at the post when I got to my car I quickly realized I didn’t intend the meaning the two words I wrote had so I deleted my comment. Too late – it only took moments for social media users to screen grab my words and quickly spread them.”

True enough. Kansas Republican leaders quickly blasted Allen in no uncertain terms, including 2026 gubernatorial candidates Jeff Colyer, a former governor, and Senate President Ty Masterson.

Colyer posted on X Saturday:

Katie Allen, the newest darling of the radical left in Kansas, former chair of the Riley County Democrat Party, and donor to the Kansas Democrat Party, decided to celebrate the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a father, a patriot, a Christian, and a voice for conservative values, by posting “well deserved” on social media. 

Well deserved? This isn’t some fringe troll; this is a state education employee and school board member cheering political murder.

The Democrat machine loves to lecture us about “toxic rhetoric” and “threats to democracy,” but when one of their own and a self-proclaimed leader in their ranks openly endorses the assassination of conservatives, suddenly it’s just a “mistake”. 

No, it’s not. It’s the rotten fruit of a party that’s lost its mind, incubating hate in our schools and government while pretending to be the party of tolerance. Governor Kelly, Commissioner Watson: Fire her now, or admit that celebrating assassination is the new Democrat normal. Kansans shouldn’t have to wait 485 days for me to do it. Kansas deserves better than the bloodthirsty bigotry emanating from our state’s education system.

Masterson wrote on X Monday:

I took a stand against hate when Katie Allen, a KSDE employee and USD 383 school board member, called Charlie Kirk’s murder “well-deserved.” Along with Senator Brad Starnes, we demanded her immediate firing and resignation. Nobody who celebrates political violence should shape our kids’ education. Thanks to swift action, she’s out at KSDE.

We’re not done. She must step down from the school board too. I’m committed to protecting Kansas values and ensuring our schools are led by those who respect all voices.

“For anyone who was offended by my words,” Allen wrote after deleting the post, “I deeply apologize. That is not who I am or what I believe – which is why I deleted that comment so fast. Like many of you, I am deeply worried about the violence and discontent happening in America today and will continue to advocate for common sense laws that keep our kids a community safe. When I make a mistake, I own it and promise to do better.”

Still, even amid her apology and the furious outrage over her post, Allen seemed to warn her critics – saying “For folks who want to continue to incite hatred and violence against me by re-posting and sending hate messages into my direct messages, I understand your frustration, and will keep the documentation to share with law enforcement.”

“I like her thinly veiled threat of running to the police if anyone denounces her … after she expressed glee over a man’s murder,” one X user opined. “Lol, weirdo.”

“Unacceptable,” another wrote. “She must be mercilessly shamed and permanently removed from anything related to education and really exiled from participation in public life.”

“Pathetic excuse for an apology,” wrote another. “‘I’m kind of sorry I did it, but not that I felt it.  And if you keep telling me I’m a bad person for celebrating the death of Charlie Kirk, I’ll turn you over to law enforcement!!  See how sorry I am?!’”

“Charlie Kirk was murdered for sharing his faith and expressing his political views,” The Mercury quoted Masterson as saying. “Katie Allen’s statement that he deserved to die is absolutely reprehensible. Anyone holding such a belief should not be employed by the state of Kansas and has no place making policy decisions for our children.”