Daniel Pantaleo—the New York City police officer accused in the 2014 death of Eric Garner—has been fired.

According to Fox News, Commissioner James O'Neill said that it was "an extremely difficult decision" to fire Pantaleo but said that following the public outcry over Garner's death and the additional public disappointment by the U.S. Department of Justice last month to not bring civil rights charges against Pantaleo, that he "can no longer effectively serve as a New York City police officer."

Patrick Lynch—President of New York City Police Benevolent Association—blasted O'Neill's decision, saying "he has chosen politics and his own self-interest over the police officers he claims to lead."

"He has chosen to cringe in fear of the anti-police extremists, rather than standing up for New Yorkers who want a functioning police department, with cops who are empowered to protect them and their families," Lynch said. "With this decision, Commissioner O’Neill has opened the door for politicians to dictate the outcome of every single NYPD disciplinary proceeding, without any regard for the facts of the case or police officers’ due process rights."