A neighbor called Fort Worth police after they saw an open door and lights on at a home near Allen Avenue and Mississippi Avenue south of downtown on Oct. 12, 2019.
The neighbor had called the non-emergency line and reported the front door was open, lights were on the inside, and both cars were in the driveway. Dispatchers reported the neighbor said, "neighbors are usually home but never [have] door open."
Family members say Atatiana Jefferson, 28, lived in the house with her mother and nephew. They said she was playing video games with her nephew, who was 8 years old at the time, when police were called.
Two units arrived at the house within five minutes. Fort Worth police released Ofc. Aaron Dean's body camera footage, which shows him looking in the front door and then walking around the side of the house. The front door was open, but a screen door was closed. The video does not show him announcing himself or knocking.
When he walks to a window, the video shows him yell, "Put your hands up, show me your hands," before firing through the window one second later.
The shot killed Jefferson. According to Dean's arrest warrant, Jefferson's nephew told police she took her gun out of her purse when she heard noises outside. The family's lawyer said Jefferson had a concealed carry license and owned the gun legally.
At the time, interim Fort Worth police Chief Ed Kraus said there was "absolutely no excuse" for the shooting.
"It makes sense that she would have a gun if she felt that she was being threatened or that there was someone in the backyard," he said.
Dean resigned from the Fort Worth Police Department and was charged with murder.
"Three years later, I think we're better today than we were then," Fort Worth City Councilman Chris Nettles said, citing the task force on race and culture and completion of a review of department policies. "It has taken a while to get where we're trying to go. We're not all the way there, but we're better today."
Jefferson's family said she and her nephew often played video games together. They said she graduated college with a degree in biology.
They have since set up a nonprofit called "The Atatiana Project" to provide kids with hands-on experience in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math. Details are available at https://www.atatianaproject.org/ .
"This is a time for us to honor Atatiana Jefferson, her legacy, the way she lived, the example she set," Fort Worth police Chief Neil Noakes said. "There are a lot of children out there who could look at someone like her, the way she was so ambitious, the way she was living her life, and see her as an example. What we want to do is honor that part of Atatiana Jefferson."
Mayor Mattie Parker said Fort Worth police have worked to build stronger relationships.
"Neil and I talk about this a lot. We are pro-police and pro-community at the same time," she says. "I'm really focused, after this trial is over, no matter what the result is, how do we lift up Atatiana's name?"
Jury selection in Dean's murder trial is scheduled to begin Monday, Nov. 28. The trial itself is currently scheduled to start Monday, Dec. 5.
"This community needs to rally behind that family," Parker said. "This trial is upcoming. While Chief Noakes and I can't speak about that trial, what we can do is focus on healing as a community."
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