Embattled Cop Darren Wilson Resigns from Ferguson Police Force

Darren Wilson resigns from police department in Ferguson, Missouri

Darren Wilson, who may be the most unpopular police officer right now after fatally shooting an unarmed teenager in August, has resigned from the police department in Ferguson, Missouri. The resignation was announced by his attorney, Neil Bruntrager, on Saturday night.

Wilson told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, in a telephone interview, that he resigned after the police department told him it received threats of violence if he remained an employee.

"I'm resigning of my own free will," he said. "I'm not willing to let someone else get hurt because of me."

He said resigning was "the hardest thing I've ever had to do."

The immediate resignation follows a decision by a grand jury not to indict Wilson in the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown.

The shooting sparked worldwide protests and the Monday announcement of no indictment triggered another round of demonstrations that continued through the week and into the weekend.

Wilson had been with the Ferguson Police Department for six years. He had been on paid administrative leave since the incident.

According to the Post-Dispatch, Wilson said he's not receiving a severance package. Wilson has not said what he plans to do next.

Wilson, 28, cited security fears in his letter of resignation, which reads:

"I, Darren Wilson, hereby resign my commission as a police officer with the City of Ferguson effective immediately. I have been told that my continued employment may put the residents and police officers of the City of Ferguson at risk, which is a circumstance that I cannot allow.

"For obvious reasons, I wanted to wait until the grand jury made their decision before I officially made my decision to resign. It was my hope to continue in police work, but the safety of other police officers and the community are of paramount importance to me. It is my hope that my resignation will allow the community to heal. I would like to thank all of my supporters and fellow officers throughout this process."
According to his attorney, Wilson had been in hiding since days after the shooting, when he received a phone call saying his home address was circulating on the internet. He was mowing the grass at the time.