A news anchor has denied using the a racial slur while reporting on the death of Kobe Bryant.

MSNBC's Alison Morris was reporting the helicopter crash that tragically killed the former LA Lakers superstar when she appeared to say the racial slur on air. In the segment, she says that the 41-year-old was "perfectly cast" in the team - but some viewers believe they heard the n-word instead of Lakers.

However, she later claimed that she simply got the Lakers and the Knicks (i.e. NBA team New York Knicks) mixed up and said "Nakers" instead.

In response to the footage, one Twitter user wrote: "The Los Angeles 'Niggers' she said. Stop making excuses for this b***h! N***a talking about 'its [sic] an honest mistake', that she got confused with 'Knicks and the Lakers'...B******t!

"She spoke her heart and what was on her mind at that moment! Let's go after this piece of s**t!"

Another tweeted the news station directly, asking: "@MSNBC this is shocking. Did I hear your reporter correctly?"

A third wrote: "She said WHAT??? @MSNBC."

Following the controversy, Alison Morris wrote a public apology on Twitter: "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."

While some believed that the reporter did make a genuine mistake, many weren't willing to forgive the alleged error.

One wrote: "This is the most bulls**t excuse I have ever heard in my life #smh."

A second wrote: "It's a sad comment on where we are that there is a need for her to apologize for this. People that tried to spread outrage about this by forcing a racist interpretation are not good people, they're s**t disturbers."

A third remarked: "I have listened to it numerous times now and you absolutely did not say 'Nakers'."

A fourth wrote: "I seriously don't think she meant to drop the n word but I definitely did not hear 'nakers' I heard that G."

Following the alleged use of a racist slur, there is now a petition on Change.org calling for Morris's dismissal. At the time of writing, it has received over 115,000 signatures and counting.

A news anchor has denied using the a racial slur while reporting on the death of Kobe Bryant.

MSNBC's Alison Morris was reporting the helicopter crash that tragically killed the former LA Lakers superstar when she appeared to say the racial slur on air. In the segment, she says that the 41-year-old was "perfectly cast" in the team - but some viewers believe they heard the n-word instead of Lakers.

However, she later claimed that she simply got the Lakers and the Knicks (i.e. NBA team New York Knicks) mixed up and said "Nakers" instead.

In response to the footage, one Twitter user wrote: "The Los Angeles 'Niggers' she said. Stop making excuses for this b***h! N***a talking about 'its [sic] an honest mistake', that she got confused with 'Knicks and the Lakers'...B******t!

"She spoke her heart and what was on her mind at that moment! Let's go after this piece of s**t!"

Another tweeted the news station directly, asking: "@MSNBC this is shocking. Did I hear your reporter correctly?"

A third wrote: "She said WHAT??? @MSNBC."

Following the controversy, Alison Morris wrote a public apology on Twitter: "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."

While some believed that the reporter did make a genuine mistake, many weren't willing to forgive the alleged error.

One wrote: "This is the most bulls**t excuse I have ever heard in my life #smh."

A second wrote: "It's a sad comment on where we are that there is a need for her to apologize for this. People that tried to spread outrage about this by forcing a racist interpretation are not good people, they're s**t disturbers."

A third remarked: "I have listened to it numerous times now and you absolutely did not say 'Nakers'."

A fourth wrote: "I seriously don't think she meant to drop the n word but I definitely did not hear 'nakers' I heard that G."

Following the alleged use of a racist slur, there is now a petition on Change.org calling for Morris's dismissal. At the time of writing, it has received over 115,000 signatures and counting.