‘Nice school shooting’ needed amid impeachment, Denver radio host says. He’s fired

An on-air plea for “a nice school shooting” to break up news of President Donald Trump’s impeachment cost a Denver talk-radio host his job, The Denver Post reports.

“You wish for a nice school shooting to interrupt the monotony,” said Chuck Bonniwell on Tuesday morning on the KNUS “Chuck & Julie” show, KDVR reported.

“No, no, don’t even say that! Don’t call us! Chuck didn’t say that,” interjected Julie Hayden, his wife and co-host, KMGH reported. Laughing, Bonniwell added he meant a shooting in “which no one would be hurt.”

The radio station fired Bonniwell and canceled “Chuck & Julie” on Wednesday night amid angry responses from families of those slain in Colorado school shootings, The Denver Post reported.

“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,” says a statement posted to Twitter by the station.

A post to the show’s Twitter account by Bonniwell included an apology for the comment, KMGH reported. But that post no longer appears on the show’s Twitter account.

“I made an inappropriate comment meant as a joke. I’m sorry it was not received that way,” the now-removed post had read, according to the station.

John Castillo, whose son died in a May shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch in Colorado, called Bonniwell’s comments “unbelievable,” KDVR reported.

“People always say they’re sorry — we’re sorry for your loss, sorry for the statement we made -- make it your life work to prove it,” Castillo said, according to the station. “Do something different. Advocate for good.”

Sandy Phillips, whose daughter died in a 2012 mass shooting at an Aurora, Colorado, movie theater, responded to Bonniwell’s comments on Twitter.

“This guy should be fired,” Phillips wrote. “Total ignorance. Shootings hurt us all...just ask witnesses and first responders. You don’t have to be shot to be wounded.”

KNUS replaced the “Chuck & Julie” show with one hosted by Sebastian Gorka, KMGH reported.

This story was originally published December 19, 2019 at 10:59 AM with the headline "‘Nice school shooting’ needed amid impeachment, Denver radio host says. He’s fired."