Norman City Councilmember Bree Montoya announced her resignation on Tuesday after intense backlash over a resurfaced Facebook post in which she told a Trump supporter to kill herself, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.

Montoya, who represented Ward 3, addressed the matter at the start of the Norman City Council meeting.

“I have served the community since 2008, and I am ready to pursue other opportunities. That being said, I am resigning immediate from Council Ward 3. Thank you, Ward 3. It’s been an honor to serve,” Montoya said before leaving the building.

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The controversy stemmed from a heated online exchange earlier this summer during discussions about the “No Kings” protest. Screenshots widely circulated on social media showed Montoya writing to another Facebook user, “Go on, put a gun in your mouth and pull the trigger.”

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Many who saw the post viewed it as an explicit encouragement of suicide.

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Facing widespread criticism from constituents, Republican activists, and local media, Montoya issued an apology on her official accounts.

“I want to apologize for comments I made from my personal Facebook account a few months ago. There are no words to express how awful, inappropriate, and unacceptable my comments were,” she wrote.

She continued: “An exchange between an individual and myself got way out of hand, and in a moment of personal distress, I was completely out of line. I was immediately disgusted with myself and knew I had crossed an unimaginable line. I sent a direct apology soon after. I know better, but in that moment I failed. I know to reject the ugliness of certain emotions, and instead reach for kindness and compassion. But in that moment, I let personal distress overtake me. Since the incident, I have sought help to heal old wounds, learned from it, and am working daily to become a better person. To those I’ve hurt and are disappointed in me, I am truly sorry. I humbly ask your forgiveness.”

Although Montoya emphasized that she resigned on her own, observers pointed to the mounting political and public pressure that left her with few options.

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The City of Norman clarified in a statement that council members are not considered employees and cannot be disciplined by city staff for speech.

“City Council members are not considered traditional employees of the city of Norman. As elected officials, they enjoy the same First Amendment protections as any other citizen. Therefore, city staff cannot take disciplinary action against council members for exercising those rights,” the city said in a message to KOCO 5.

Montoya’s resignation ends more than 15 years of involvement in community affairs. Her departure leaves an opening in Ward 3, which will require council action to fill.