Florida

Florida Deputy Fired Over Social Media Posts About Michelle Obama, Muslims

Officials say a Florida sheriff's deputy has been fired for social media posts that made racially-charged remarks about former first lady Michelle Obama and blamed Muslims for a mass shooting.

The Palm Beach Post reported Saturday that Jason Van Dusen was terminated as a Palm Beach Sheriff's Office deputy. Van Dusen, a deputy since 1998, had been suspended once before for offensive social media posts.

The posts that led to Van Dusen's firing includes one on Twitter displaying a photo of Michelle Obama next to one depicting a "Planet of the Apes" character.

In another Twitter post from December 2, 2015 - the day 14 people were shot to death in San Bernardino, California - Van Dusen wrote that the U.S. has a "Muslim problem" and not "a gun problem."

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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