A 16-year Columbia Fire Department captain was fired Monday from his $53,722-a-year job for making threatening remarks against people in a Black Lives Matter protest that on Sunday night closed down a major interstate corridor into Columbia, city officials said Monday. On Sunday night, in apparent reaction to a S.C. Secessionist Party raising the Confederate flag in a legally-sanctioned public event at the State House that afternoon, the Black Lives Matter movement staged a counter protest that resulted in the I-126 corridor being blocked on the stretch between the Greystone Boulevard and Huger and Elmwood street exits.
In response, just before 10 p.m., Morris posted, “Idiots shutting down I-126. Better not be there when I get off work or there is gonna be some run over dumb asses.”
About an hour later, Morris added another post.
“Public Service Announcement: If you attempt to shut down an interstate, highway, etc on my way home, you best hope I’m not one of the first vehicles in line because your ass WILL get run over! Period! That is all....”