Fort Worth’s police chief reiterated Tuesday that a white officer’s killing of a black woman in her home was inexcusable, as an arrest warrant was released quoting the victim’s 8-year-old nephew as saying she pointed a gun at a bedroom window after hearing suspicious noises outside.
Interim Chief Ed Kraus said 28-year-old Atatiana Jefferson behaved as any Texas homeowner would do if he or she heard a prowler. Also, the arrest warrant gave no indication that Officer Aaron Dean would have even been able to see the weapon through the glass.
Kraus declared there was “absolutely no excuse” for the shooting, which happened while Jefferson was staying up late playing video games with her nephew.
The new details were released a day after Dean resigned and was arrested on murder charges for firing a single bullet through the window early Saturday while investigating a neighbor’s report about the front door being left open at Jefferson’s home.
Police bodycam video showed Dean making his way around the side of the house into the backyard in the darkness and opening fire a split second after shouting at Jefferson to show her hands. He did not identify himself as a police officer.
In the arrest warrant, Jefferson’s nephew said his aunt had pulled a gun from her purse and pointed it at a bedroom window.
“The gun was found just inside the room, but it makes sense that she would have a gun if she felt that she was being threatened or if there was someone in the backyard,” the chief said.
The killing shocked people across the U.S. and led many black people to wonder whether they are no longer safe from police in their homes. Jefferson’s family and others also objected to police bringing up the gun, accusing the department of trying to deflect blame onto an innocent victim.
Jefferson family attorney Lee Merritt noted that the window was covered by blinds, it was dark outside, and Dean never said “gun” before firing.
“Why do people keep weapons in their homes? Well, maybe, when there’s someone prowling around in the back at 2 a.m. in the morning, you may need to arm yourself,” he said. “It is only appropriate that Miss Jefferson would have a weapon in that situation. Nevertheless, the Fort Worth Police Department is going about the task of providing a defense for this officer.”