Darren Wilson Update: Ferguson Police Officer Resigns

Darren Wilson, the Ferguson police officer who fatally shot black teenager Michael Brown last August 9, has resigned from the Ferguson Police Department.

Wilson's lawyer, Neil Bruntrager, reportedly said that the white officer resigned from the force because of "threats against fellow officers" after a grand jury decided not to indict him for Brown's death, Reuters reported. The resignation was announced on Saturday.

According to NBC News, Wilson submitted his resignation letter "two minutes" after Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson informed him of the threats to the department and the other officers.

"He was just making him aware of the information," Bruntrager was quoted as saying by media outlets, adding, "The chief thought that if he resigned it would alleviate those threats. That was all [Wilson] needed to hear."

Reuters added that there are demands for Jackson to step down, in order to bring back the peace between Ferguson's police department and the African-American community.

What's next for Wilson

Wilson, who claimed that he was acting in self-defense against Brown, and that he had no regrets about shooting the unarmed teen, had been on administrative leave and in seclusion before he resigned, Reuters reported.

Brown's death and Ferguson grand jury's decision not to indict Wilson sparked violent protests and riots not only in Ferguson, Missouri, but also in other parts of the U.S.

With his decision to resign, Wilson will not be getting any severance package or benefits, the Associated Press reported.

According to Bruntrager, Wilson isn't planning to continue police work in the "immediate future" because the safety of the police officers and the community is highly important to him. "In the wake of Brown's death, and the tumultuous fallout, Wilson 'doesn't have a plan,' Bruntrager said, adding he will have to make one soon because 'he has no income.' Bruntrager said Wilson has no plans to leave the country," NBC News wrote.

"We have now severed ties with Officer Darren Wilson," Ferguson Mayor James Knowles announced on Sunday, as quoted by NBC News. "I think we've recognized that there are a lot of issues. I think that people will continue to express frustration." 

NBC News added that Wilson is still being investigated for violating civil rights, and "Brown's family could also file a wrongful civil lawsuit against Wilson," although plans have not been announced yet. Brown's family attorney, Benjamin Crump, stated that they are planning to pursue all legal avenues, including "pushing for a 'Michael Brown law' requiring police to wear body cameras to record incidents," according to the Reuters report.

"We want police officers who do have a conscience in our community, and not police officers who are cold as ice and see our children as demons and criminals," Crump said during an interview on CBS' "Face the Nation," as quoted by Reuters.

Here's a CNN report about Wilson's resignation.