Fox News Host Apologizes for Advocating Execution of Homeless

Brian Kilmeade, a host on Fox News Channel, issued an apology on Sunday for a comment he made the previous week advocating for the execution of mentally ill homeless individuals. He described his remark as "extremely callous." The initial comment sparked widespread online attention over the weekend.

The controversial statement originated during a "Fox & Friends" episode. Kilmeade was discussing the murder of Iryna Zarutska on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina. Decarlos Brown Jr., a homeless and mentally ill man, was arrested for the crime, which received significant coverage on Fox News.

During the discussion, co-host Lawrence Jones suggested that homeless individuals who refused offered services should be jailed. Kilmeade responded by stating that "we’re not voting for the right people." On the weekend show, Kilmeade retracted his earlier statement, saying he "wrongly said they should get lethal injection." He expressed awareness that not all mentally ill, homeless people behave as the perpetrator did and acknowledged that many deserve empathy and compassion.

An advocate for the homeless community criticized Kilmeade's comment as "completely devoid of all humanity." The president and CEO of Win, a New York City organization providing shelter and services for homeless children, extended an invitation to Kilmeade to volunteer at one of their shelters.

Kilmeade's initial remark occurred shortly before the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah. An MSNBC analyst was subsequently fired for suggesting that hateful rhetoric can lead to hateful actions.