By Sean Kelly - Opposing Views
A firefighter in Texas was fired after posting a comment on social media calling for the man who shot and killed nine people in Charleston, South Carolina, to be “praised” for his actions.
According to reports, volunteer firefighter Kurtis Cook posted to the Facebook page of a South Carolina newspaper following Wednesday night’s massacre at a Charleston church, and said that shooter Dylann Roof “needs to be praised for the good deed he has done.”
Cook’s post soon began to spread, prompting people to contact the Mabank Fire Department and call for his termination. The department subsequently addressed the controversy on their Facebook page.
“The Mabank Fire Department Command Staff is in the process of investigating the allegations being made of Firefighter Kurtis Cook,” the post read. “The Command Staff wants the public to know that the MFD takes these allegations seriously and will take the appropriate actions.”
Less than an hour after the post, the department issued another statement on Facebook confirming that Cook had been let go.
“As of 1123 hrs, after an investigation in the allegations being made of Firefighter Kurtis Cook, the Mabank Fire Department Command Staff has terminated Kurtis Cook as a volunteer firefighter permanently and has trespassed him from all Mabank Fire Department property," the post read.
“The Mabank Fire Department does not condone nor promote these type of actions or thoughts,” the department wrote. "On behalf of all members, the Mabank Fire Department offers our deepest apologies to all that were offended by his actions and comments.”