Not quite that - I totally see why it may sound like it but I probably wouldn't have the stomach or the hierarchical position to do such thing. I work as HR manager in a small restaurant group where very much almost all decisions run through the owner of the company when it refers to management, and the person to be fired in question is a Head Chef.
Truth is, there were many reasons to fire the HC, but it was the "washing hands" from the situation what I didn't quite appreciate.