Firefighter out for calling on President Trump to order NFL protesters shot
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An Earle, Arkansas, firefighter is off the job for saying on social media that professional athletes should be shot in the head if they kneel or stay in the locker room during the national anthem.
The fire fighter, Jonathan Marotti, issued a written apology Tuesday afternoon, saying he was wrong and childish and was sorry for the embarrassment he caused.
The fire department said in a Facebook post Monday evening that a firefighter had been relieved of duty indefinitely.
John Buford, assistant chief of the department, said in the post that the department “in no way agrees with the statements that were made and that type of behavior will not be tolerated by any employee of the Earle Fire Department.”
Scott Carroll, Arkansas Online:
The post, attributed to Earle Fire Department volunteer firefighter Jonathan Marotti, said President Donald Trump should “post snipers at every game and each player that takes a knee or sits in the lockerroom” during the national anthem “should b shot in the head.”
The post said people “out here protesting and makin idiots out of urselves,” particularly “obama lovin snowflakes,” should also be shot.
The Earle Fire Department, which has 19 firefighters, said in a statement Tuesday morning that Marotti has been fired. The department said it disagreed with the Facebook post, and “that type of behavior will not be tolerated.”
Assistant Chief John Buford said Marotti, who had worked with the department for at least four years, had violated the agency’s social media policy. The policy bans employees from posting anything that may reflect poorly on the department.
“You devalue human life by making a comment like that,” Buford said.
