Fox News host Brian Kilmeade has apologised after suggesting on air that people experiencing homelessness and mental illness should be executed. The remarks, made last Wednesday, drew widespread backlash and calls for his dismissal.
During a segment on Fox & Friends, Kilmeade was discussing the fatal stabbing of Ukrainian woman Iryna Zarutska on a train in North Carolina. The suspect had reportedly been diagnosed with schizophrenia. When co-host Lawrence Jones suggested that homeless individuals with mental illness should accept help or be jailed, Kilmeade responded: 'Involuntary lethal injection or something. Just kill ’em.'
Kilmeade faced criticism from figures including California Governor Gavin Newsom, who quoted a biblical verse on social media. On Sunday, during an appearance on Fox & Friends Weekends, he apologised, saying: 'I wrongly said they should get lethal injections. I apologise for that extremely callous remark.'
The incident comes amid a climate where media figures have faced consequences for comments about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Political analyst Matthew Dowd was fired by MSNBC for suggesting Kirk's rhetoric may have contributed to the violence that killed him. In contrast, Kilmeade remained employed by Fox News.
Studies cited in the source indicate that homeless individuals are more likely to be victims than perpetrators of violent crime, and mental illness is not a predictor of future violence.
