Wilson: I have a ‘clean conscience’

Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson says that he has a “clean conscience” after fatally shooting Michael Brown in a case that has sparked months of protests.

“The reason I have a clean conscience is because I know I did my job right,” Wilson told ABC News in his first public comments since the August incident, a day after the grand jury ruled against indicting him in Brown’s death.

{mosads}Wilson described a tussle with Brown in the police car after Brown punched him. Wilson then shot his weapon while Brown tried to grab it, he said. 

Brown then retreated, but Wilson followed. “My job isn’t to just sit and wait. I have to see where this guy goes,” the officer said of his decision to follow.

He said Brown then turned and reached his hand into his waist band, and charged. Of the accounts that Brown had his hands up in surrender, a gesture that has been copied by protestors, Wilson said “no way.”

Wilson said that as Brown charged and ignored commands, he thought “Can I shoot this guy? Legally, can I?”

“I had to, if I don’t, he will kill me if he gets to me,” Wilson said he answered to himself. 

Wilson said the moment does not haunt him, though.

“I don’t think its haunting. It’s always gonna be something that happened,” he said.

Asked if the same events would have unfolded if Brown were white instead of black, Wilson said “No question.”

Asked if he would do anything differently, he said, simply, “No.”

Wilson was recently married, and reportedly is not planning to return from leave, despite the decision not to bring charges. 

“We just want to have a normal life,” he said. “That’s it.”

This story was publshed at 4:53 p.m. and updated at 7:23 p.m.