Tag: coach fired

A former Wake Forest athletic trainer who worked with the women’s soccer team is suing North Carolina Congressman Pat Harrigan, saying he falsely claimed she was fired for posting about Charlie Kirk’s assassination last month.

Republican Rep. Harrigan claimed on social media that Bridget Sullivan was fired after he called the university and touted it as a personal victory, posting on X: “I’m happy to report that after I contacted @WakeForest, Bridget has been FIRED for celebrating Charlie Kirk’s assassination.”

But Sullivan was not fired, according to the lawsuit filed in Forsyth County Superior Court.

In her complaint, Sullivan said she exercised her 1st Amendment right of free speech when she posted on her private personal social media account: “He had it coming, he had it coming… this audio is all I have to say about that.”

She posted the text on a black screen on Sept. 11, the day after Kirk’s death. In the post, she referenced a song that is not audible in a screenshot of her social media. The next day, LibsofTikTok, a popular conservative social media account, posted a screenshot of the post along with Sullivan’s Wake Forest biography and photo.

Harrigan then responded to that post, saying: “Contacted @WakeForest regarding these reports… Anything less than firing her is an endorsement of it.”

According to the lawsuit, by Sept. 13, a Wake Forest University representative contacted Sullivan to “discuss the situation and safety measures” for her. Then the university police department “instituted additional security measures for both Sullivan and the women’s soccer game taking place that day.”

The next day, a Sunday, Wake Forest and Sullivan continued to talk about “safety concerns” and “mutually agreed that it would be best to part ways,” according to the lawsuit.

Last month, Wake Forest University confirmed to several news outlets that Sullivan “no longer” was at the school and declined to comment further on the situation.

But Harrigan then posted about her departure. Harrigan’s post generated extensive news coverage, Sullivan said.

“Wake Forest University did not fire or terminate” Sullivan, she wrote in the lawsuit. “No Wake Forest representative issued such a statement to (Harrigan), to the school at large, to the press, or to the public. Such a statement was and is false.”

“(Harrigan’s) statement was a false representation of fact,” the lawsuit says. “Wake Forest University did not fire (Sullivan), nor did Wake Forest issue any such statement. Nevertheless, (Harrigan’s) false, defamatory statement about (Sullivan’s) profession and reputation remains forever online.”

Sullivan says Harrigan harmed her personal and professional reputation, and exposed her to ridicule, hatred, contempt, and safety threats. She is suing for libel and punitive damages.

Harrigan’s office did not respond for request for comment before publication of this article.

Harrigan is a first-term congressman representing North Carolina’s 10th Congressional District, which includes parts of Winston-Salem.

This story was originally published October 6, 2025 at 6:26 PM.