Blooms & Berries Farm Market in Loveland fired a part-time seasonal employee after she posted a racist comment on Facebook about the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Shadeed Coggins in Cincinnati.

The Probst family, which owns and operates the farm at 9669 state Route 48, released a statement on Sunday, July 12, confirming the termination and condemning the post. Screenshots circulating on social media showed an account matching the employee's name, Kelly Bryant Rea, had used a racial slur while responding to a news story about Coggins' death.

Coggins was killed in a shooting on Glenway Avenue in Cincinnati's Westwood neighborhood on Saturday, July 11, according to Cincinnati police.

The family said they learned of the comment that Sunday morning and acted immediately.

"The comment was abhorrent, inexcusable, and in complete opposition to everything our family and our farm stands for," the Probst family wrote. "The person is no longer employed at Blooms & Berries Farm Market. Effective immediately."

The statement went further, apologizing directly to the community and to Coggins' memory. The family wrote that "you deserve better, and so did Shadeed Coggins who was the subject of those hateful words." They added that anyone "comfortable with such words of hate is never welcome in our team or our farm."

Response draws regional attention

The Probst family's statement on the farm's Facebook page drew supportive comments from people across the region, with some pledging to visit the farm for the first time. The story reached statewide audiences after Columbus-based outlet 614now covered the firing on Wednesday, July 15, noting the farm is roughly 90 minutes from Columbus.

Blooms & Berries, founded in 1999, employs between 50 and 60 part-time workers during peak season and hosts more than 30,000 visitors each fall, according to Hamilton Township economic development records. The farm is run by Cathy Probst and her son Jeff, along with Jeff's wife Emily.

No follow-up community events or additional steps have been announced by the family beyond the firing itself.