Settlement reached in race suit filed by fired ex-Pa. TV anchor

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit filed by a former Pittsburgh newscaster fired after her comments in a Facebook post about a shooting were deemed racially insensitive.

In a federal lawsuit filed in 2016, Wendy Bell says WTAE fired her because she is white, in violation of her civil rights. She was seeking back pay, punitive damages and her old job.

Bell had commented on Facebook about a shooting of five black people in a poor Pittsburgh suburb. She speculated the gunmen were young, black men with multiple siblings and fathers.

Court records show the lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice on Jan. 29. No terms have been disclosed.

Bell tells the Tribune Review today she can’t comment other than to say she’s satisfied.

A call seeking comment from her attorney and WTAE’s parent company weren’t returned.