(CNN) — A Denver radio show has been canceled after one of the hosts wished for “a nice school shooting” to break up the coverage of President Donald Trump’s impeachment.
The host, Chuck Bonniwell, was opening a segment of the “Chuck and Julie” show Tuesday afternoon when he said they would be discussing the “never-ending impeachment of Donald Trump,” according to audio obtained by the Colorado Times Recorder.
Co-host Julie Hayden laughed before Bonniwell added, “You know, you wish for a nice school shooting to interrupt the (monotony).”
“No, no, don’t even say that, no, don’t even say that,” Hayden said. “Don’t call us. Chuck didn’t say that.”
Bonniwell immediately said “which, no one would be hurt.”
The radio station, 710 KNUS, called Bonniwell’s comment “inappropriate” in a statement posted to its website Wednesday. The show would be canceled immediately, the statement said.
“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,” the statement said. “A programming decision was made to end the program immediately.”
Bonniwell has not responded to CNN’s requests for comment. According to CNN affiliate KDVR, he said in a statement that he was only joking.
“I made an inappropriate comment meant as a joke,” Bonniwell said. “I’m sorry it was not received in that light.”
The Denver area has seen multiple deadly school shootings over the years, dating back to at least 1999, when 13 people were killed at Columbine High School. Earlier this year, 18-year-old Kendrick Castillo was killed in a shooting at STEM School Highlands Ranch, not far from Columbine, when he lunged at one of the shooters.
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