<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After shocking many by saying mentally ill homeless people should be put to death, Fox News morning host Brian Kilmeade has apologised for what he called an "extremely callous remark."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Kilmeade's mea culpa came one day after his original comment – "just kill 'em" – went viral across multiple social media sites.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The </span><em><span>Fox &amp; Friends</span></em><span> segment aired Wednesday morning, but it didn't seem to garner widespread attention until Saturday morning, when it was picked up by Fox News critics such as Aaron Rupar.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/charlie-kirk-shooter-tyler-robinson-left-note-authorities-say/d2c96a43-37bc-49ca-a9fd-c2d957a269e4" target="_blank"><strong><span>'Note' left by Charlie Kirk shooting suspect under investigation</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The clip, labelled "Brian Kilmeade endorses euthanising homeless people," had garnered more than 20 million views on X by Sunday afternoon.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Commenters immediately called for the conservative network, which has a reputation for almost never apologising, to take action against Kilmeade.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the Wednesday segment, Kilmeade and the other hosts were talking about last month's murder of Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte, North Carolina. </span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/fox-host-brian-kilmeade-apologises-over-remark-about-killing-the-homeless/4a7cb3b2-584a-42b0-b610-ebffe6f9262f" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The suspect in the killing struggled with mental illness and was living in a homeless shelter, the suspect's mother told CNN.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Co-host Lawrence Jones said taxpayers have given "billions of dollars to mental health and the homeless population," but "a lot of them don't want to take the programs, a lot of them don't want to get the help that is necessary."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"You can't give them a choice," Jones continued.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Either you take the resources that we're going to give you … or you decide that you are going to be locked up in jail. That's the way it has to be now."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/charlie-kirk-shooting-updates-tyler-robinson-relationship-with-roommate-under-investigation/8053e80c-3c71-4509-9386-0acfa84bc8ac" target="_blank"><strong><span>Accused Kirk shooter's relationship with trans partner examined</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That's what prompted Kilmeade to add, "Or involuntary lethal injection or something. Just kill 'em".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The condemnation was swift once the clip went viral on Saturday. Political figures such as California Governor Gavin Newsom weighed in. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>(Newsom replied to the video clip with a proverb: "Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.")</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Christine Quinn, the CEO of WIN, which runs shelters and transitional housing in New York City, called Kilmeade's rhetoric "completely devoid of all humanity" and said it "only serves to divide and inflame".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Quinn said in a statement that she welcomed a dialogue with Kilmeade about the issues. Or "better yet," she said, "come volunteer in one of our shelters and see the face of homelessness for yourself – we could always use the help."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/new-zealand-jetski-death/56c811a0-d7c7-4ee7-bb74-fa58e39bf540" target="_blank"><strong><span>Teacher who beat cancer killed in tragic jet ski accident</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Kilmeade appeared remotely on Sunday's </span><em><span>Fox &amp; Friends Weekend</span></em><span>, and Jones tossed to him, knowing Kilmeade had some cleaning up to do.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Kilmeade said that on Wednesday "we were discussing the murder of Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte and how to stop these kinds of attacks by homeless, mentally ill assailants, including institutionalising or jailing such people so they cannot attack again".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Now during that discussion, I wrongly said they should get lethal injections," Kilmeade said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I apologise for that extremely callous remark. I am obviously aware that not all mentally ill, homeless people act as the perpetrator did in North Carolina, and that so many homeless people deserve our empathy and compassion."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Fox News also publicised the apology on its website, saying Kilmeade "admits fault," perhaps in an attempt to defuse any further fallout.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A Fox News spokesperson did not respond to CNN's request for comment.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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