Fort Worth police officer who shot Atatiana Jefferson resigns

“Fort Worth police officer who shot Atatiana Jefferson resigns” was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

The Fort Worth police officer who shot and killed Atatiana Jefferson in her mother’s home has resigned and could face criminal charges, authorities said Monday.

His department will also conduct a third-party policy review in response to the shooting, the department announced.

At a press conference, Fort Worth Police Chief Ed Kraus identified Aaron Dean as the officer who shot Jefferson. Kraus also apologized to Jefferson’s family and the Fort Worth community, and said he had planned to terminate Dean’s employment prior to his resignation.

Body camera footage released over the weekend showed an officer surveying the area around the house after seeing an open front door. The officer opened the backyard gate, noticed movement in the window and shouted, “Put your hands up, show me your hands.” The officer then fired through the window, killing Jefferson, police have said. Jefferson’s 8-year-old nephew was in the room at the time, police said.

Officials said the officer did not announce himself as law enforcement prior to giving orders or shooting the woman. They have said that will be addressed in their investigation.

Jefferson’s neighbor made the initial call to police, requesting a wellness check. However, Kraus said the officers responded to what he described as an open structure call, which is different from the procedure for a wellness check. According to Kraus, an open structure call includes officers parking away from the house and approaching with caution. It’s not clear why the officers responded to an open structure call rather than a wellness check.

Kraus said he expects a “substantial update” on the internal investigation Tuesday. Kraus said the Texas Rangers declined to investigate the shooting and that the case has been submitted to the FBI for potential civil rights violations.

When Fort Worth police released the body camera footage from the shooting, the department magnified a photo to highlight a gun laying in the room of Jefferson. On Monday, Kraus expressed regret for highlighting the detail.