What People Are Saying about Wilson's Resignation

Less than a week after St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney announced that Officer Darren Wilson would not be indicted by the grand jury after shooting and killing unarmed teen Michael Brown in Ferguson, Wilson announced he would resign from his post in the Ferguson Police Department. In a statement released Saturday, Wilson said his resignation was effective immediately, and, appropriately, the reaction to Wilson's resignation was equally immediate.

As Wilson's statement read:

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 supports and fellow officers throughout this process.

Naturally, however, those who support Brown hardly feel as though Wilson's resignation comes with any healing at all, particularly following Wilson's previous statements about wanting to return to the force. (He hinted as such in his interview with George Stephanopoulos, and his attorney, Danielle Thompson, told The Washington Post, “At first [his thinking] was, ‘I want to go back, I’m a cop, I want to still be a cop.'") As soon as Wilson's statement was released, social media flared up, criticizing Wilson and those who have tried to raise funds for the police officer.

That said, Wilson had his supporters as well. Though most reactions surrounding his resignation were negative, some sympathized with the police officer, particularly after the street on which he used to live was leaked.

Though we know the reaction on social media — the place that McCulloch repeatedly criticized during his announcement on Monday night — It remains to be seen how Ferguson, which has continued its protests against the decision since earlier this week, itself will respond.

Image: ABC