A St. Paul, Minn., police sergeant who made a Facebook comment encouraging drivers to run over Black Lives Matter protesters and telling them how to avoid being charged while doing so resigned Wednesday, Mediaite reports.
Last month Jeffrey Rothecker, using a profile with the name JM Roth, commented under a news story about protesters blocking traffic on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, inciting drivers to run them over.
"Run them over. Keep traffic flowing and don’t slow down for any of these idiots who try and block the street. Here is the deal, you continue to drive and if you hit someone make sure you call 911 to report the accident and meet the cops a block or two away and you can justify stopping further away because you feared for your safety since the past people in this group has shown a propensity towards violence," the comment read.
"Since they are trying to block the street and/or cross where there is no crossing you should not be charged with anything," it continued. "Now, these idiots could try and sue you in civil court, but remember that it will be jury trial and so most likely it will come out in your favor."
An investigation was opened into whether Rothecker was the one behind the JM Roth account, but Rothecker removed all doubt when he issued a statement apologizing for the comment.
"I am extremely sorry for posting what I did, I understand that the post was insensitive and wrong," he wrote Wednesday, according to Fox 9. "My poor choice of words conveyed a message I did not intend and am not proud of. Shortly after submitting the post, I re-read it and deleted it. As a law enforcement officer, I would never intentionally encourage someone to commit a crime. I very much regret my actions."
Rothecker's resignation, which is effective immediately, followed calls for his termination from local officials. St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman released his own statement expressing his satisfaction with the outcome.
"The actions Mr. Rothecker admits he engaged in were disgusting, harmful and out of step with the values of the Department and the community it serves," he said.