NEW YORK (CNN) — Eric Bolling’s son Eric Chase died on Friday (Sept. 8) night, just hours after his father lost a high-profile job at the Fox News Channel.
The cause of death has not been announced. According to a family friend, an autopsy will not take place until Monday (Sept. 11).
Eric Chase Bolling was starting his second year at the University of Colorado in Boulder. It is unclear if he died on or off campus. Local authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment from CNN.
His parents learned of the death late Friday night and flew to Colorado on Saturday morning.
Eric Bolling confirmed the heart-wrenching news in a tweet.
“Adrienne and I are devastated by the loss of our beloved son Eric Chase last night. Details still unclear,” Bolling wrote. “Thoughts, prayers appreciated.”
In a second tweet, Bolling said that an autopsy would be conducted next week. “Authorities have informed us there is no sign of self harm at this point. … Please respect our grieving period,” he wrote.
The family friend said the Bollings are in a profound state of shock. Eric was their only child.
Eric Bolling sometimes talked lovingly about his son on Fox News. Bolling, a former trader, joined Fox Business Network in 2007 and later jumped to Fox News, where he became one of the channel’s best-known conservative hosts. In his appearances on the 5 p.m. talk show “The Five,” he cheered on Donald Trump’s campaign for president. He also wrote a pro-Trump book called “The Swamp.”
Trump’s sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump expressed their condolences in separate messages on Twitter. “I am so sorry for your loss. I know how devoted you were to your son. I cannot fathom how difficult this must be,” Donald Trump Jr. tweeted.
When “The Five” was moved to 9 p.m. last spring, Bolling stayed on at 5 p.m. as the leader of a new show called “The Specialists.”
He signed a multi-year contract in June. He parted ways with Fox News in August after an investigation into allegations, first reported by HuffPost, that Bolling had sent female colleagues an “unsolicited” lewd photo.
Bolling moved to sue the HuffPost reporter and vowed to fight the claims, which he called “false smear attacks.”
“I look forward to clearing my name” as soon as possible, he said.
Fox announced his departure around 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Fox said it happened “amicably.” “The Specialists” was canceled.
Sources at Fox said staffers were shaken up about the sudden death.
“We are very saddened to hear of the passing of Eric Bolling’s son,” the network said in a statement. “Eric Chase was a wonderful young man and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Bolling family.”
Bolling’s former colleagues and other journalists also expressed condolences.
“So awful. My heart goes out to Eric and his family,” CNN’s Don Lemon tweeted.
“Overwhelmed by the news of Eric Bolling’s son,” Fox contributor Katie Pavlich tweeted. “How absolutely horrific and devastating.”
