Fox News Channel host Brian Kilmeade has apologised for advocating for the execution of mentally ill homeless people in a discussion on the network last week, saying his remark was “extremely callous”.
Kilmeade’s initial comment came on a Fox & Friends episode last week and began getting widespread circulation online over the weekend.
Kilmeade, a host of the morning show, was talking with co-hosts Lawrence Jones and Ainsley Earhardt about the August 22 stabbing murder of Iryna Zarutska on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina.
A homeless and mentally ill man, Decarlos Brown Jr., was arrested for murder, and the case received extensive attention on Fox following the release of a security video of the stabbing.
Jones was talking on Fox & Friends on Wednesday about public money spent on trying to help homeless people and suggested that those who didn’t accept services offered to them should be jailed.
The morning’s headlines in 90 seconds, including thousands of students off school as teachers strike again, who’s assisting the investigation into Charlie Kirk’s shooting, and the consequences of scrolling your phone on the loo. (Source: 1News)
“Or involuntary lethal injection, or something,” Kilmeade said.
“Just kill ’em.”
Earhardt interjected, “Why did it have to get to this point?”
Kilmeade replied, “I will say this, we’re not voting for the right people.”
During an appearance on the Fox & Friends weekend show Sunday, Kilmeade said that “I wrongly said they should get lethal injection. I apologise for that extremely callous remark. I am obviously aware that not all mentally ill, homeless people act as the perpetrator did in North Carolina and that so many homeless people deserve our empathy and compassion”.
Fox News management did not immediately return messages seeking comment.
An advocate for homeless people said Sunday that Kilmeade’s remark had been “completely devoid of all humanity”. Christine Quinn, president and CEO of Win, a provider of shelter and services for homeless children in New York City, invited Kilmeade to volunteer in one of the organisation’s shelters.
Kilmeade’s initial remark came hours before the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah.
An MSNBC analyst, Matthew Dowd, was fired for saying on the air that afternoon that hateful rhetoric can lead to hateful actions.
