TX - Atatiana Jefferson, 28, fatally shot at home, Fort Worth, Oct 2019 *officer charged*

[GuyfromCanada]

Atatiana Jefferson was shot and killed by a Fort Worth police offer around 2 a.m. on October 12, 2019. She was inside her home and was shot through her bedroom window, according to body cam footage and the medical examiner’s report. The shooting happened just weeks after a Dallas police officer, Amber Guyger, was found guilty of murder after accidentally shooting Botham Jean when she mistook his apartment for her own. Guyger was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Days after her sentencing, a witness in her trial, Joshua Brown, was shot to death in what police said was a drug deal gone bad. The name of the Fort Worth officer who shot Jefferson has not been released. Here is what you need to know.

More at Atatiana Jefferson: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com

Body cam footage

 

[Baciagalupo]

Wow, she had no chance at all.

 

[nightowl1975]

I’m dumbfounded.

Lethal force against someone standing at their own bedroom window in the middle of the night while a stranger prowls around the back yard with a flashlight? If she did have her gun in her hand, can you blame her? I would also have my gun in my hand if I saw someone in my backyard with a flashlight in the middle of the night.

Wow.

 

[Hraefn]

This is absolutely unbelievable.

 

[nightowl1975]

Let’s say this lady was pointing her gun at him.

My thought?

As she should have been!!!

He was on HER property, UNANNOUNCED. Why didn’t he knock on the front door like a civilized person?

Her “crime” seems to be leaving her front door open with the screen door closed and a light on. How dare she. <sarcasm>

This is insanity.

 

[Hraefn]

This is the still shot of the gun in the home from the body cam footage posted above. Appears to be stationary on a dresser or desk. I don’t see anyone near it.

Maybe I’m wrong? The footage isn’t very clear on my phone.

ETA: typo

 

[Reasonable & Just]

Sounds like a good young woman, though I wonder about the 2:30 am video games with an 8-year old and why the door was open according to the neighbor who called. Maybe a sleepover with the nephew? I'd still be scared to leave the door open at that hour, though, especially with a child around. Also, 5 officers seem a lot for a welfare check, so maybe there was more going on than we know.

Poor neighbor - he was just trying to help. I would have done the same. Poor nephew, who had to see this, and poor, poor sister who is just heartbroken

 

[GuyfromCanada]

Perhaps the police believed that there was a possible burglary in progress?

 

[GoneGoldfishin']

This officer deserves the death penalty, period. MOO.

 

[Reasonable & Just]

Probably did think it was a burglary. But the lights were on - they could see her better than she could see them. They could have announced themselves as the police a little sooner. I wonder about the procedure here and look forward to learning more.

 

[Reasonable & Just]

This officer deserves the death penalty, period. MOO.

Respectfully, I'd want to know more before going there.

 

[GoneGoldfishin']

Perhaps the police believed that there was a possible burglary in progress?

Huh, I didn't realize "possible burglary" was a capital crime.

 

[Reasonable & Just]

Huh, I didn't realize "possible burglary" was a capital crime.

No, it definitely isn't. But maybe that's why there were so many of them and why they were so antsy about a possible shooter.

 

[GoneGoldfishin']

Respectfully, I'd want to know more before going there.

Respectfully, I'm tired of these cowards murdering innocent people.

 

[nightowl1975]

No, it definitely isn't. But maybe that's why there were so many of them and why they were so antsy about a possible shooter.

Here’s the thing. If she did have a gun pointed at them, that makes total sense!! She was in her own home, she hadn’t called the police, they certainly didn’t announce themselves, they didn’t knock on her front door... they were slinking around in the dark in her back yard! She SHOULD HAVE had a gun pointed at them. (Mind you, I don’t think she did... which makes it even more tragic.)

If anyone in this scenario deserved to be shot, it was the officer(s) unannounced in her back yard in the middle of the night. He had NO RIGHT to shoot her. None.

And if he followed actual police procedure, we need all new procedures. Like, yesterday.

 

[nightowl1975]

Respectfully, I'm tired of these cowards murdering innocent people.

Yes, this.

God bless America.

 

[Lynetta]

This makes me sick!

I'm glad this officer had his body cam on atleast and that it was released to the public quickly.

 

[Reasonable & Just]

Here’s the thing. If she did have a gun pointed at them, that makes total sense!! She was in her own home, she hadn’t called the police, they certainly didn’t announce themselves, they didn’t knock on her front door... they were slinking around in the dark in her back yard! She SHOULD HAVE had a gun pointed at them. (Mind you, I don’t think she did... which makes it even more tragic.)

If anyone in this scenario deserved to be shot, it was the officer(s) unannounced in her back yard in the middle of the night. He had NO RIGHT to shoot her. None.

And if he followed actual police procedure, we need all new procedures. Like, yesterday.

I don't disagree. Especially about procedures. I'm sick of all of this.

 

[NervousNellie]

This makes me sick!

I'm glad this officer had his body cam on atleast and that it was released to the public quickly.

ITA. This is utterly horrifying to me. And should be to anyone with a soul, IMO.

ETA: that video is so disturbing. I don’t know how the murderer saw anything to shoot at. This is yet another example of someone who should never be wearing a badge and carrying a loaded weapon. I am devastated for this woman’s family and friends.

 

[Reasonable & Just]

The beginning shots of the indoor scene near the open front door seems a mess, looks like broken light bulb or something broken on the floor. Could there have been actually been an intruder or a domestic incident?

In no way is this casting blame on Ms. Jefferson. Just trying to understand how this hell unfolded.

ETA - 911 call doesn't seem to be about noises or altercations, though - just about lights and open door being unusual at this hour. Maybe a family member knocked something over and they opened the door to take out the trash once it was cleaned up? Then what? The police show up and sneak around without announcing themselves, scare Ms. Jefferson and get scared in return, and kill her in her own house?