Two months after a Fort Worth, Texas officer opened fire on a woman inside of her home, an official indictment has been announced. Back in October, it was in the early morning hours when pre-med graduate student Atatiana Jefferson was awake with her eight-year-old nephew playing video games. A concerned neighbor saw that Atatiana's front door was left slightly open for a time, so they decided to call authorities. The neighbor shared their concern and asked for police to do a welfare check, however, responding officers reportedly believed that they were at a call for a possible burglary.
While inside, Atatiana and her young nephew weren't aware of what was happening around them. According to the nephew, Atatiana grew scared when she heard the sounds of people outside of her home. He told investigators that Atatiana went to retrieve her firearm just in case someone was coming. Officer Aaron Dean arrived at the scene, saw movement inside through a window, didn't announce who he was, and yelled "Put your hands up, show me your hands" before immediately opening fire. He shot and killed Atatiana where she stood.
The tragic event made headlines and news of the slaying swept through the news media. The Fort Worth Police Chief even spoke out against Dean's actions and later, the officer resigned before being fired. It's now being reported that a grand jury has indicted Dean on murder charges and prosecutors have reportedly stated that they "will prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law," according to NBC News.
Not long after Atatiana's death, her father passed away, as well. "The former @CityofFortWorth cop that shot #AtatianaJefferson to death in her home was indicted for murder by a Tarrant County Grand Jury today!" the Jefferson's lawyer tweeted. "Atatiana’s family is relived but remain cautious that a conviction and appropriate sentence is still a long way away. Keep pushing."
