Rockmond Dunbar Exits 9-1-1 Over Vaccine Mandate

9-1-1 fans were shocked this week when Rockmond Dunbar exited the FOX series after five seasons, and we now have some clarity on the matter.

Dunbar shared a statement with Deadline in which he said he requested both religious and medical exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Both of which were reportedly denied by Disney.

“I applied for religious and medical accommodations pursuant to the law and unfortunately was denied by my employer," the star said in a statement to Deadline.

"My sincerely held beliefs and private medical history are very intimate and personal aspects of my life that I do not publicly discuss and have no desire to start now," the statement continues.

"I’ve been an actor in this business for 30 years, but my greatest roles are as a husband and father to our four small children."

"As a man that walks in faith, I look forward to what the future holds," it adds.

"I have enjoyed the last 5 seasons with this wonderful cast and crew and will cherish the time I’ve been blessed to spend with this series and wish everyone involved nothing but the best.”

The outlet also states that Dunbar is not an anti-vaxxer.

Dunbar was a part of the 9-1-1 ensemble when the series launched in 2018.

The final episode for Dunbar found his character Michael getting engaged to boyfriend David and them both leaving to spend some time in Haiti.

“I can’t save lives, but I can help rebuild one,” Michael told Athena and his children in one of the most shocking scenes to date.

Athena and the kids were supportive of the decision, with Athena conceding that they will always be a family.

It was a nice send-off, especially when you consider that people usually leave these shows with their character killed off.

It's unclear at this stage whether Rockmond could return down the line, or if the role will be recast.

Deadline shared a statement from 20th Television when asked for comment.

“We take the health and safety of all of our employees very seriously, and have implemented a mandatory vaccination confirmation process for those working in Zone A on our productions."

"In order to ensure a safer workplace for all, Zone A personnel who do not confirm their vaccination status and do not meet the criteria for exemption will not be eligible to work.”