Ferguson Residents File Affidavit to Recall Mayor James Knowles
Mayor James Knowles said he has no plans to resign.
FERGUSON, Missouri— -- Five residents of Ferguson filed an affidavit seeking to recall Mayor James Knowles as the manhunt for whomever shot two police officers outside the city's police department continues.
The five residents delivered letters to the mayor and City Council members Friday, asking that Knowles resign over his failure to "rein in an out-of-control police department during the protests following Mike Brown’s death."
While Knowles has maintained his position with the city government of the St. Louis suburb, the city's police chief resigned and the city manager left following a scathing Department of Justice report that documented widespread racial bias in the city government.
"We cannot describe how disgusted we are with you," read the letter.
The five, who have not been identified yet, have 60 days to collect the signatures of 15 percent of registered voters in the last mayoral election to prompt the special election. ABC News was unable to obtain the affidavit Saturday since City Hall was closed.
"We have always pushed for Mayor Knowles to be recalled and now in the wake of our current situation we will fully support local citizens who have chosen to reclaim their city and begin to develop the type of transformation they want to see,” said Juju Jacobs, organizer with the Organization for Black Struggle. “We don’t see this as the last thing that needs to happen, but an important step toward restoring accountability to the people of Ferguson.”
Knowles told The Associated Press he has no plans to resign.
"Obviously there are people on the street calling for my resignation, but my voicemail, my text messages and my Facebook are full with literally hundreds of people who want me to stay," Knowles told the AP on Friday. "Somebody has to show leadership, and I'm focused on how we can move this community forward."