East Texas firefighter terminated after comment praising Charleston murders

[ashling]

http://www.kltv.com/story/29365119/east-texas-firefighter-terminated-after-comment-praising-charleston-murders#.VYWKUsNUmEI.facebook

Mabank volunteer firefighter Kurtis Cook reportedly posted on a South Carolina newspaper's Facebook page that the confessed Charleston church shooter, Dylann Roof, "needs to be praised for the good deed he has done." Roof is alleged to have shot and killed nine people who were in a Bible study class at the historic Charleston Emanuel AME Church.

His post was shared across social media, calling for people to call the Mabank Fire Department asking to have the volunteer removed from the department. Mabank Fire Department leaders said, on social media, that they were investigating the allegations on Friday morning.

Less than an hour after that statement was posted on the department's Facebook page, they posted again, this time saying that Cook had been terminated from his volunteer position.

The statement read:

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 Mabank Fire Department does not condone nor promote these type of actions or thoughts. On behalf of all members, the Mabank Fire Department offers our deepest apologies to all that were offended by his actions and comments.

[TexasTowelie]

1. Does that mean he will have to forfeit the fake siren lights and

warning signals on his personal vehicle? He might be late checking out the latest grueling vehicle accident. What a sacrifice.

[Ilsa]

2. I'm glad he was publicly shamed for his comments.

Even if he didn't suffer any personal financial ruin for it, it is important that a message is sent that hate speech will not be tolerated.