Allegheny County communications director placed on administrative leave following social media post

An Allegheny County employee has been placed on administrative leave following a social media post directed toward a Pittsburgh radio personality.

On Friday, Communications Director Abigail Gardner posted a video on her personal Instagram page over the weekend reacting to KDKA radio host Colin Dunlap’s comments about the bad air quality caused by the Canadian wildfires.

Dunlap’s initial Instagram post said, “I find the pandemonium about some smoky conditions in Western Pennsylvania for like 26 hours way over the top. Especially when you consider this: Some of our grandparents lived this every single day here - and smoked a pack a day on top of it.”

Later that day, Gardner posted her video, saying, “But for today, Colin Dunlap said we’re all soft, we’re overreacting, our forefathers used to be outside in the smog and smoke a pack on top of it. And to that I say, you’re right, Colin. You should go outside and smoke a pack, on a bridge, and then jump.”

In the video Gardner posted, she was wearing an Allegheny County Emergency Services shirt with the county seal on it.

On Dunlap’s radio show, he responded to Gardner’s video, in part, “and I’ll let her employer deal with her, and her employer is the county executive and her employer is supposed to be somebody that has all these anti-suicide campaigns.” He added, “If I were to say that, I would be immediately terminated.”

On Monday, Gardner released a statement regarding her post:

“I made a tasteless comment out of frustration, and I apologize for my lapse in judgement. Suicide should not be a topic that is joked about or used to insult others. My comments were out of line, and I especially apologize to the employees of Allegheny County that I did not hold myself to a higher standard while representing the County.”

In response to the incident, the county said Gardner has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

The county added, “Allegheny County is committed to providing immediate resources to anyone in crisis. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, or experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 at any time or chat with a trained counselor at 988lifeline.org."

Additional mental health resources are available on the county’s website here.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

©2026 Cox Media Group