Darren Wilson resigns from Ferguson Police, cites threats FERGUSON, Mo., Nov. 29 (UPI) -- Officer Darren Wilson resigned from the Ferguson Police Department Saturday, capping off a week of rioting and international protests after a grand jury refused to indict Wilson for the shooting death of unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown. Wilson, 28, shot Brown seven times in August and was placed on administrative leave. After several months, a grand jury announced Monday that no charges would be pressed against the police officer. A lawyer for Wilson said the resignation would be effective immediately. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that in a resignation letter, Wilson cited the safety of his fellow officers: 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. Wilson and his attorneys have been in negotiations with Ferguson officials about a resignation for weeks. The call to wait until after the grand jury decision was due in part to Wilson's fear of appearing to admit guilt. "It doesn't even have the same impact that it would have months ago," Patricia Bynes, a Democratic committeewoman for the Ferguson township told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. It would have relieved a lot of anger and the pressure in the streets. It's been almost infuriating to get to this point and nothing has changed. There was no accountability and sense of responsibility for what has happened. In Monday's decision, St. Louis County prosecutor Robert McCulloch said there was "no question" Wilson caused Brown's death, but that "no probable cause exists to file any charge" due to self-defense laws in Missouri. The announcement sparked waves of international protest and rioting in Ferguson and elsewhere, with dissenters largely decrying institutionalized racism, injustice and a lack of accountability in police ranks. Wilson said he shot Brown on Aug. 9 after a routine encounter that ended with the teenager trying to take Wilson's gun, as well as assaulting and charging at the officer. Several witnesses have provided conflicting reports, with some confirming Wilson's story and others saying Brown was attempting to surrender. In an interview with ABC, Wilson said he had a "clean conscience" and that he did his job right -- comments that have caused much distress to the Brown family, according to attorney Benjamin Crump.