Respiratory therapist in Florida under fire after mocking Trump shooting - amid wave of investigations into sick comments

A healthcare worker who helps patients to respire has travel nether occurrence aft he said he was saddened that a shooter did not assassinate Donald Trump when he opened occurrence connected him astatine a Pennsylvania rally complete nan weekend. 

Thomas O'Donoghue, who has worked arsenic a respiratory therapist successful Florida for 3 decades, wrote online aft nan shooting: 'It's a shame he missed.'

It was uploaded successful consequence to an X station from Donald Trump Jr., nan erstwhile President's eldest child, which was branding sum from CNN a 'disgrace.'

O'Donoghue quickly faced backlash complete his comments, pinch galore urging his employer — Lee Health successful Southwest Florida — to terminate his position.

One individual wrote connected X: 'He's successful a position to find whether group unrecorded aliases dice and that makes maine very, very angry that he's this consenting to aerial this view.'

A 2nd added: 'Hey Lee Health, does your worker Thomas O'Donoghue dainty blimpish patients differently?'

And a 3rd personification said: 'I unrecorded successful Southwest Florida and Lee Health is my main provider. Don't cognize if I consciousness safe being treated location pinch this benignant of hateful personification arsenic 1 of their employees.'

Mr O'Donoghue's remark comes amid a activity of investigations into dozens of group — from teachers to a nurse, a firefighter and a region worker — who person made akin comments pursuing nan onslaught connected nan erstwhile president. 

The comments person been revealed by Libs of TikTok.

DailyMail.com besides revealed coming a caregiver successful New York City and drugstore worker successful Texas had some been fired aft their comments were revealed online. 

On his LinkedIn, Mr O'Donoghue says he has worked for Lee Memorial Health System for 3 decades — providing patients pinch care.

Respiratory therapists activity nether nan guidance of doctors to administer oxygen, negociate ventilators and administer narcotics for nan lungs to a assortment of patients.

These tin see premature infants whose lungs are not developed decently and aged group pinch lung disease.

There are astir 130,000 respiratory therapists successful nan US, who are each required to dainty patients impartially — aliases pinch nary quality based connected sex, ethnicity aliases different factors.

The American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) — which represents nan manufacture — says successful its codification of behaviour that respiratory therapists must: 'Provide attraction without favoritism connected immoderate basis, pinch respect for nan authorities and dignity of each individuals.'

Mr O'Donoghue's comments were first revealed by right-wing X relationship Libs of TikTok, which said his employer should return swift action.

He has since deleted nan comments and his X account.

Lee Health and Mr O'Donoghue could not beryllium reached for comment.