The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Fox News host, colleague reject off-camera gun story

- By Christie D’Zurilla Los Angeles Times

Sean Hannity and Juan Williams are rejecting the context of a CNN report saying the Fox News host “once pulled a gun” on his colleague and pointed it at him while the two were off-camera.

“While discussing the issue of firearms, I showed my good friend Juan Williams my unloaded firearm in a profession­al and safe manner for educationa­l purposes only,” Hannity said in a statement. “Every precaution­ary procedure that I have been trained in since the age of 11 was followed. I’ve had a conceal carry permit in five states for all of my adult life. Any other interpreta­tion of this is outright false reporting.”

The gun anecdote was touted Thursday in the headline on a CNN article that characteri­zed the Trump-supporting host as “spoiling for a fight” in the name of entertainm­ent.

Williams also disagreed with the story’s take.

“This incident is being sensationa­lized — everything was under total control throughout and I never felt like I was put in harm’s way,” Williams said in a statement via Fox News and on Twitter.

Attributed to three sources familiar with the situation, the incident was cast by CNN as flowing out of a regular on-camera argument between the men, and stated that Hannity had “pointed” the gun at his colleague.

“The situation was thoroughly investigat­ed and it was found that no one was put in any danger,” Fox News said in a statement.

Representa­tives for CNN did not immediatel­y respond to a request for comment Friday.

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