On Sunday, news broke that basketball legend Kobe Bryant died in helicopter crash in Calabasas, California

As news broke of the death, a video clip on social media went viral of MSNBC anchor Alison Morris saying what many say sounded like “The Los Angeles niggers”

Social media users have already called for Morris to be fired and a petition on Change.org has gained over 600 signatures

Morris claims she stuttered and combined Lakers and Knicks to say “Nakers”

On Sunday, news broke that basketball legend Kobe Bryant, 41, died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. With him was his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna Bryant. As the tragic news broke on social media, a video clip of MSNBC anchor Alison Morris referencing the Los Angeles Lakers—as what many heard as the “Los Angeles niggers”—went viral on social media. Morris claims she said the “Los Angeles Nakers.”

In the short clip, Morris is talking about Bryant’s position with the Los Angeles Lakers. Social media users claim Morris said, “It seems like he was just the kind of athlete, the kind of star that was perfectly cast on the Los Angeles Niggers.” Morris then stuttered and corrected herself to say the Los Angeles Lakers.

The moment was originally caught by Twitter user Jimmy Jump. “So this @MSNBC reporter just referred to the Lakers as the Los Angeles Niggers on live tv when talking about Kobe,” the tweet read. It has been shared over 5,000 times.

So this @MSNBC reporter just referred to the Lakers as the Los Angeles Niggers on live tv when talking about Kobe. pic.twitter.com/htfPRwlgV6 — Jimmy Jump 🏁 (@Littles1126) January 26, 2020

Social media users are wondering how the mistake could have happened. One Twitter user wrote, “WTF! How can you even get to that word from anything?!” “We want her termination as loud and bold as she was on this clip,” Another user wrote. A petition to have Morris fired on Change.org has already gathered over 600 signatures. Morris addressed the incident in a tweet on Sunday.

“Earlier today, while reporting on the tragic news of Kobe Bryant’s passing, I unfortunately stuttered on air,” The tweet starts out. Morris claims she combined the “Knicks and the Lakers to say “Nakers.” Morris went on to say she would “NEVER use a racist term” and apologized for the “confusion.” The majority of responses to the tweet were not in Morris’ favor.

Earlier today, while reporting on the tragic news of Kobe Bryant’s passing, I unfortunately stuttered on air, combining the names of the Knicks and the Lakers to say “Nakers.” Please know I did not & would NEVER use a racist term. I apologize for the confusion this caused. — Alison Morris (@AlisonMorrisNOW) January 26, 2020

At 10:01 a.m. the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department received a call about a downed helicopter in Calabasas. The crash was reported by people mountain biking in the area. Bryant and his daughter were reportedly on their way to a basketball game when the helicopter crashed.

Along with Bryant and his daughter were another unidentified parent and child. Rumors have spread on social media that all of Bryant’s children and wife were with him. As of now, the only child confirmed to be with Bryant is Gianna.