While many Democratic legislators rack their brains on legislation to prevent mass shootings, one Denver radio host actually wished for one at a school, of all places, to disrupt news about the impeachment of Donald Trump. Needless to say, Chuck Bonniwell, formerly of "Chuck & Julie" on KNUS 710 AM, was fired, the station announced Wednesday in a statement on its website. “Given the history of school violence that has plagued our community, 710 KNUS confirms that an inappropriate comment was made on the Chuck & Julie show by co-host Chuck Bonniwell. A programming decision was made to end the program immediately,” the station said in the statement.
The conservative host could be heard on the show saying: "All right, Chuck Bonniwell and Julie Hayden here a little after 1:30, talking about the never-ending impeachment of Donald Trump. You know you wish for a nice school shooting to interrupt the monopoly." At the very mention of the thoughtless and insensitive ask, his wife and co-host Julie Hayden interjected immediately. “No, no, don't even, don't even say that. No, don't even say that,” she said. “Don't call us. Chuck didn't say that." Her response, though quick, did little to save the show. “Starting tomorrow, December 19, the 710KNUS, 1-4pm weekday time slot will feature the Salem Network show, America First, hosted by Sebastian Gorka,” the station said in its statement.
The host's comment hit an especially vulnerable nerve in Colorado, considering two of the most well-known mass shootings in this country's recent recollection happened in the state: the 1999 slaughter that left a dozen students and a teacher dead at Columbine High School and the July 2012 theater shooting in Aurora that killed 12 people. Sandy Phillips, the mother of a woman killed in the Aurora shooting, called for Bonniwell’s termination just after a Denver reporter posted a clip of the audio Wednesday on Twitter. “Total ignorance,” Phillips wrote on Twitter. “Shootings hurt us all … just ask witnesses and first responders. You don't have to be shot to be wounded. #survivorsempowered”
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Bonniwell issued his own statement on his Twitter account, according to ABC News.
"I made an inappropriate comment meant as a joke. I’m sorry it was not received that way," he reportedly said.
The moderator of a Twitter account for the show also released a statement Thursday on Twitter, according to messages posted on the account. “As you know 710KNUS has canceled our show,” the moderator said. “It's difficult to put everything into words here but we hope you hear our hearts. Chuck's comment about school shootings was inappropriate and if he could un-say it he would. Violence causes too much hurt to victims and their families and we truly did not intend to add to that pain,” the moderator continued on Twitter. “We have covered every school shooting and tragedy since Columbine and witnessed the unbearable pain and grief felt by the victims, families and community.”
After thanking fans for listening, the account moderator reasoned that hosts of the show have “always tried to tell the truth straight up and be willing to talk about any controversy even when we are in the middle of it.”