A Florida firefighter received unwelcome, but hardly surprising, news last week after he jumped to social media to say that a local policeman who was killed in the line of duty somehow deserved his death.
Kevin Newcomb, a fireman for the city of Miami was called on the carpet after posting a profanity-laced diatribe about the death of Miami-Dade Police Officer Cesar Echaverry, 29.
Newcomb jumped to his WhatsApp group chat to blast officer Echaverry on Wednesday after the news broke that the officer had died from wounds received during an Aug. 15 shootout with an armed robbery suspect.
In his WhatsApp message, Newcomb asked “who cares” about “another dead cop,” WSVN-TV reported.
“Who cares? Another dead cop, probably against gun control,” Newcomb wrote. “They didn’t give an [expletive] when kids were dying in that school shooting they stood outside.”
“Cops exist for the government to exercise its monopoly on violence,” Newcomb further bloviated. “They want the whole world to stop when one of theirs goes down. How many idiots I had to transport with honor guard their dead bodies from coronavirus because they all were too stupid to wear masks or get vaccinated? All cops are good for is protecting the rich property owners and the status quo.”
“Everything else is a farce. [Expletive] the police,” Newcomb profanely concluded.
Newcomb’s outrageous attack on fallen police officers did not go unnoticed by his superiors.
Miami Fire Rescue Chief Joseph Zahralban fired Newcomb only two days after the hate-filled fireman wrote his post. Zahralban confirmed to the media that the firefighter had been terminated, effective Friday.
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“We have confirmed that the firefighter in question authored a written statement using a social media platform that demonstrated a disregard for human life, demonstrated a violent and antagonistic stance towards civil servants and represented conduct unbecoming of a Miami firefighter,” Zahralban wrote in a statement given to the media.
“These characteristics make it impossible for this individual to carry out his duties as a first responder in the City of Miami,” the statement added.
After being fired, Newcomb sent an apology letter to WSVN in which he said officer Echaverry “did not deserve any of this.”
Newcomb apologized to the deceased officer, the officer’s family, and both the Miami-Dade Fire and police departments.
“I am writing this to apologize for the statements that have been circulating that I made earlier this week with some friends in a private chat,” Newcomb told WSVN.
“I sincerely apologize to those closest to officer Echaverry who have been made to feel more pain because of my words. I wish I could take them back,” he added.
“I wish them as much peace as possible and they deserve only kindness and support in this time. I hate to see suffering anywhere, and the worst kind of suffering is in those grieving a family member taken too soon. I take responsibility for the words I wrote, and I am so sorry to his loved ones if I have made this time worse for them,” Newcomb wrote, according to WPLG-TV.
“It shames me that I caused any measure of rift between our departments. I hope I can one day earn the forgiveness of those who I have hurt. More importantly, I hope that my actions do not continue to distract from the mourning of Officer Echevarry, who did not deserve any of this,” he said.
While it is perfectly fine for first responders — whether policemen or firefighters — to have their own political ideals, this firing was the right decision. With such hate so publicly displayed, the citizens of Miami simply can’t know if a fireman such as this will treat them or their property fairly.
After all, if this man hates non-mask wearers, or law-and-order supporters so much, what if they have a MAGA hat on when he rides up to the scene of a fire? What if their car has a support the police or a no-mask or an anti-BLM bumper sticker? Would a firefighter with this level of hatred in his heart do all he can for a person with opposing political ideals?
Newcomb’s social media message raises all sorts of doubts about these questions. But, perhaps Chief Zahralban’s actions might help quell any such doubts for the people of Miami.
