CARBON HILL, Ala. (AP) — The mayor of a rural northwest Alabama town who posted online about "killing out" gay and transgender people has posted an apology, after initially denying he was responsible.
WBRC-TV reported that Carbon Hill Mayor Mark Chambers complained on Facebook that "homosexuals lecture us on morals" and "transvestites lecture us on human biology." He also complained about "baby killers" and "socialists."
Chambers wrote: "The only way to change it would be to kill the problem out."
The station reports Chambers on Monday denied writing the comment, which has since been taken down, and then said it was taken out of context. Then he said it was meant to be a private message, not a public post.
"I never said anything about killing out gays or anything like that," Chambers told the station. "If it comes to a revolution in this country both sides of these people will be killed out."
But on Tuesday, Chambers posted an apology, writing that he regretted the comments.
"Although I believe my comment was taken out of context and was not targeting the LGBTQ community, I know that it was wrong to say anyone should be kill [sic]," he wrote. "I hope very much our Citizens and anyone that was hurt by this comment can accept my apology."
Carbon Hill is located 55 miles (89 kilometers) northeast of Birmingham, Alabama. Chambers began leading the town of fewer than 2,000 people in 2014.
His Facebook page is now private.