West
California university lecturer reinstated after wishing Charlie Kirk was dead shortly after shooting
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A California university lecturer has returned to the classroom after being placed on paid administrative leave for saying she wished Charlie Kirk had been killed shortly after he was shot last year.
According to the Fresno Bee, Barri Brennan, a Fresno State University communication lecturer, was back in the classroom on Tuesday, the second day of instruction in the spring semester.
“My classes went well, and I look forward to the rest of the semester,” Brennan told the Bee.
Fresno State did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The university confirmed to the Bee that Brennan was teaching this semester, but declined to comment further on her return to campus or any investigation into Brennan’s remarks.
Charlie Kirk was assassinated last September at the age of 31. (Alex Brandon/The Associated Press)
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Brennan was captured in a recording on Sept. 10 sharing her thoughts about Kirk’s health condition shortly after being shot and prior to confirmation of his death.
“You want to know what I think? It’s too bad he’s not dead,” Brennan said. “Gonna put my political views right out there. And that’s exactly what I thought. He’s just shot? I was like, he’s not dead? I don’t even know who he is. Just a description of him. Don’t care.”
The comments were reportedly made during an informal and private conversation.
Kirk was shot while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. He was pronounced dead later that day.
One student in Brennan’s class, Lara Habib, told The Collegian that the incident “felt very uncomfortable” and that students reacted with awkward pauses and uncertainty.
A California lecturer, who was placed on leave for wishing Charlie Kirk was killed shortly after he was shot, has returned to the classroom.
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“Her comments, made after Kirk had been shot but before news of his death had been confirmed by authorities, were made during an informal, private conversation prior to the start of a class and were secretly recorded. Portions of the discussion were later posted to social media,” the Bee reported.
The university posted a statement on its website condemning the comments shortly afterward.
“Fresno State is aware of a video circulating online that appears to record a lecturer making a disturbing comment about the death of Charlie Kirk. The university has launched an immediate investigation into this incident,” the university said.
“We condemn, in the strongest possible terms, any language that celebrates or condones violence. Such remarks are antithetical to our values at Fresno State,” they added.
A tribute to Charlie Kirk is shown on the jumbotron before a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, in Bristol, Tennessee. (Wade Payne/AP)
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Following the statement, Brennan was placed on leave. She is under contract through May 2027, according to the Bee. Upon returning to Fresno State, according to the report, she changed the course syllabus to disallow using electronic recording devices.
Brennan wrote about the incident last October for the Bee, saying she “never intended to mean anything beyond an opinion; however distasteful some might find it.” She spoke critically of the unnamed student who recorded her, saying it was illegal.
“What that student did by illegally recording me in class sullies the academic classroom experience for both students and faculty. I concede that my words did not represent my best self, but what that student did to the integrity of the classroom experience was far more nefarious,” she wrote.
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West
Las Vegas first responders conduct seven-hour rescue of injured climber stranded 600 feet up rock face
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First responders in Nevada carried out a dramatic seven-hour rescue after a climber was seriously injured while stranded roughly 600 feet up a steep rock face near Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) said search and rescue teams were notified around noon Saturday about an injured climber on the “Dream Safari” route along Dark Shadows Wall in Pine Creek.
Authorities said the climber had fallen an estimated 40 to 50 feet, suffering severe head and back injuries.
The victim’s climbing partner and a guide from another climbing party reached the injured climber and controlled the bleeding while awaiting rescue crews.
Rescuers secured the climber in a titanium litter and lowered the patient in stages down the rock face. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
Four search and rescue officers and a lead climb volunteer were inserted by the department’s AIR3 helicopter several hundred feet above the victim at the top of the route.
Rescuers then rappelled down the rock face, provided medical treatment while suspended mid-face, and secured the patient in a titanium litter.
Crews constructed a lowering system and brought the climber several hundred feet down to the ground through three separate lowering stations, with a rescuer attending to the patient during the descent.
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Las Vegas police search and rescue teams spent seven hours lowering an injured climber 600 feet to safety. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
Once at the base, additional volunteers carried the litter to an extraction point where the helicopter returned to airlift the victim to a Bureau of Land Management helipad.
The climber was then transferred to a ground ambulance and taken to a local hospital.
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The climber’s helmet was destroyed in the fall but likely saved the person’s life, officials said. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
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LVMPD wrote on Facebook that the entire operation lasted about seven hours from initial insertion to final extraction.
“Although the victim’s helmet was destroyed during the fall, it likely saved their life,” police said.
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San Francisco, CA
Floats for San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade get finishing touches
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — ABC7 Eyewitness News got a sneak peak as crews put the finishing touches on the floats you’ll see at Saturday’s San Francisco Chinese New Year Festival and Parade.
Since it’s the year of the fire horse, you’ll see a lot of horses and fire symbolism on the floats, housed at Pier 19.
“So Year of the Horse, it’s energy, it’s passion, it’s momentum so a lot of things that we’re really hoping to embody in the new year,” said Stephanie Mufson, owner of San Francisco-based The Parade Guys, which designs and constructs the floats.
She said they’ve been building them for about three months, with the designs starting in November.
MORE: Bay Area artist brings Year of the Horse statue to life for Golden State Warriors
“We’re in the home stretch,” she said. “We’ve got a couple of days left and we’ve got a nice little team that’s cranking out all the finishing work that needs to go into it.”
Derrick Shavers was sanding some wood that will be painted and become cherry blossom trees on a float.
“It’s exciting,” Shavers said. “I look forward to coming every year and just creating and making things shine and sparkle.”
Bon was painting mountains for a float, making sure everything is perfect in time for the parade.
MORE: Meet the 2026 San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade mascot, Maverick
“It’s one of the few parades that actually happens at night still,” Bon said. “So we got to make sure all the lighting is in check, and people are safe on the float. It’s all in the details, just for it to walk by you for 10 seconds.”
Ten seconds that bring so much joy to those watching the parade.
Here’s how you can watch the parade on ABC7 Eyewitness News on Saturday, March 7.
Coverage starts at 5 p.m. wherever you stream ABC7.
SF Chinese New Year Parade 2026: How to watch ABC7 Eyewitness News live coverage
If you’re on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live
Copyright © 2026 KGO-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Denver, CO
Grand Junction, Palisade reach Great Eight in Denver
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — The Class 5A Sweet 16 has arrived, and both Grand Junction and Palisade are still standing with trips to the Great Eight in Denver on the line.
At The Jungle, the No. 2 seed Grand Junction Tigers set the tone early against No. 18 Golden. Defense carried the Tigers from the opening tip as they held the Demons to nine first quarter points while scoring 16 of their own.
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Grand Junction added eight points in the second quarter while Golden managed six, sending the Tigers into halftime with a nine point lead.
Golden responded in the third quarter, outscoring Grand Junction 16 to 11 to cut the deficit to five entering the fourth. The Tigers answered in the final period, attacking the rim and converting key shots to win the quarter 19 to 10. Grand Junction secured a 54 to 41 victory to protect its home court and advance to the Great Eight in Denver.
Top seeded Palisade also defended its home floor with a trip to Denver at stake. The Bulldogs opened with nine straight points to energize a packed gym, but Frederick settled in and closed the first quarter on a run to tie the game at nine.
Frederick continued to respond in the second quarter and took an eight point lead into halftime.
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Palisade shifted momentum after the break. The Bulldogs tightened defensively, holding Frederick to 21 points in the second half while scoring 39 of their own. Palisade completed the comeback to advance to the Great Eight.
Colorado Mesa University Women Deliver Historic RMAC Tournament Win
In collegiate action, the top seeded Colorado Mesa University women’s basketball team defeated Colorado School of Mines 96 to 51 in the RMAC Tournament, marking the largest margin of victory in the tournament this century.
Olivia Reed-Thyne led the Mavericks with 34 points on 11 of 15 shooting, her third 30 point performance this season. Mason Rowland added 22 points and Hallie Clark contributed 10 as Colorado Mesa matched a program record with its 31st win. The Mavericks will host the semifinals Friday with a berth in the championship game at stake.
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Colorado Mesa University Men Survive Overtime Thriller
The Colorado Mesa University men’s basketball team faced New Mexico Highlands University for the third time this season. The Mavericks scored 36 first half points and led by four at the break.
New Mexico Highlands shot 50 percent in the second half, received 21 bench points and outscored Colorado Mesa 43 to 39 to force a late push. With the season in the balance, Ty Allred hit a game tying 3 pointer to make it 75 and send the game to overtime. Allred scored seven points in the extra period as Colorado Mesa earned a 91 to 90 victory to advance to the next round.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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