A Fort Worth police officer who resigned before he could be fired is now charged with murder for the death of a woman.

Former Officer Aaron Dean, 34, was arrested for murder Monday night. He is no longer behind bars after posting at least 10% of his $200,000 bond.

Dean shot and killed 28-year-old Atatania Jefferson early Saturday after her neighbor on Allen Avenue called a non-emergency police number to report seeing her door open.

Body camera video shows the former officer walking around the perimeter of the house with a flashlight and gun drawn. Police said when he got to the back window, he saw someone standing inside the home.

After “perceiving a threat,” Dean can be heard saying, “Put your hands up. Show me your hands,” before immediately shooting through the window and killing Jefferson.

Dean was arrested just hours after he handed in his resignation. Fort Worth Police Department Interim Chief Ed Kraus said he planned to fire Dean before he resigned for violating the department’s use of force policy.

On Monday, both Kraus and Mayor Betsy Price called Jefferson a victim and agreed the shooting was not justified.

“We received many calls from the community expressing their concerns and demands. And I assure you as chief of this department, I share those concerns and I demand a thorough, transparent and speedy investigation,” Chief Kraus said.

“The entire city is in pain. As a grandmother, a mother, a sister and an aunt, I can’t imagine anything worse and I’m so sorry. On behalf of the entire city of Fort Worth, I’m sorry,” Mayor Price said.

There have been nine officer-involved shootings in Fort Worth this year. The mayor wants a panel of national experts to review the department. She also plans to meet with the family privately.

Atatania Jefferson’s Family

Community activists and Jefferson’s family are calling for changes in the police department.

They said Jefferson, who was known to her family as Tay, had dreams of pursuing a career in medicine before her life was taken away.

Her aunt, two sisters and brother spoke out on Monday alongside attorney Lee Merritt. They want to let people know that the 28-year-old had a kind heart and always put others first.

She had recently moved into the home on Allen Avenue to help with her mother, whose health is declining. She also helped with her 8-year-old nephew Zion whom she was especially close to.

Tay was playing video games with Zion when she was shot and killed, the family said.

The little boy who witnessed the tragedy is remaining strong for the family.

“He’s my motivation and he’s my biggest encouragement in the middle of the night when I’m crying. He wakes up and tells me to breathe in my nose and out my mouth. He holds me. He hugs me. And these are the things I should be doing for him. But he’s helping me to be strong and I believe that’s because my sister had a big part in that,” said Amber Carr, Jeffreson’s sister.

“The family of Atatiana Jefferson is relieved that Aaron Dean has been arrested and charged with murder. We need to see this through to a vigorous prosecution and appropriate sentencing. The city of Fort Worth has much work to do to reform a brutal culture of policing,” Merritt said in a statement on behalf of the family.

Dean joined Fort Worth PD in 2017. He graduated from the police academy and became an officer in April of 2018.

Merritt said he should have been fired the night he murdered Jefferson.

Race & Culture Commission

Fort Worth city leaders have promised to listen to community concerns about the police department.

The city has taken a very unified and clear stance on Jefferson’s death, saying it never should have happened.

After police body camera video was released, a lot of people were very frustrated with what they saw. Many said the victim didn’t stand a chance in the few seconds she had after being approached by the officer.

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AVOYELLES PARISH, Louisiana (CBSDFW.COM) – One of two people Dallas police were searching for in connection to the shooting death of a witness in the Amber Guyger trial – is in custody tonight in Louisiana.

The U.S. Marshal’s Violent Offender Task Force arrested Michael Mitchell, 32, in Avoyelles Parish.

He’s accused of involvement in Joshua Brown’s killing after a drug deal gone wrong Friday night. The fatal shooting happened just a week and a half after Brown took the stand in the high-profile murder trial.

Brown lived on the same floor as Guyger’s victim, Botham Shem Jean at the South Side Flats. He testified that on the night Jean was killed, he heard what sounded like “two people meeting by surprise” and then two gunshots.

Police first arrested Jacquerious Mitchell, 20, in connection to Brown’s death. He faces a capital murder charge, police said during a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

Authorities are still searching for Thaddeous Charles Green, 22, and there is a reward for information leading to his capture.

The trio came from Alexandria, Louisiana to purchase drugs from Brown, Assistant Chief Avery Moore said.

“Thaddeous Green was the facilitator. He’s the one who contacted Joshua Brown,” Asst. Moore said.

Moore said when they arrived at the location, “Green gets out of the vehicle, has a conversation with Joshua Brown which escalates into physical altercations.”

Jacquerious Mitchell told police when he got out of the vehicle, Brown ordered him to get back in his vehicle and shot him in the chest, Asst. Chief Moore said.

Jacquerious Mitchell said while wounded in the vehicle, he heard two more gunshots.

“He said that Thaddeous Green shot Joshua Brown two times,” Asst. Chief Moore said.

Green also stole Brown’s backpack and gun, police said.

Michael Mitchell was the driver, according to police. He dropped Green off at an unknown location and took Jacquarious to the hospital.

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson released the following statement on the investigation:

“I am grateful that our detectives have taken the initial steps necessary to bring closure to this case. I want to thank everyone who demonstrated patience and responsibly reserved their judgment while the Dallas Police Department gathered the facts regarding the death of Joshua Brown. I urge anyone with additional information about this case to come forward.”

News Source at CBSDFW.COM

DALLAS – Dallas police have issued two arrest warrants for the murder of Joshua Brown in what police say was a drug deal gone bad.

Brown, who was a featured witness in the Amber Guyger murder trial, was shot to death at the Atera apartments on Cedar Springs Road on Friday night. The 28-year-old was previously Botham Jean’s neighbor at a different apartment complex. He testified about what he heard the night of Jean’s murder.

Dallas police are searching for Thaddeus Green, 22, and Michael Mitchell, 32. A third suspect, Jacquerious Mitchell, 20, is in custody and gave police his version of events from the night. 

Jacquerious said all three of the men travelled from Alexandria, Lousiana to buy drugs from Brown on Friday.

When the three arrived, a “physical altercation” happened between Green and Brown, according to Jacquerious. That culminated in Brown shooting Jacquerious once in the chest. Then, Brown was shot twice by Green in the lower body.

Green took the gun and Brown’s backpack, police said, and fled the scene as Michael drove away.

Jacquerious remains hospitalized and is in police custody. Dallas police detectives are in Louisiana searching for the other two suspects.

Police searched Brown’s apartment and found 12 lbs. of marijuana, 149 grams of THC cartridges and $4,157 in cash.

Dallas police chastised local leaders who inflamed people about potential connections between Brown’s death and his testimony in the Guyger trial.

“The rumors shared by community leaders that Mr. Brown’s death was related to the Amber Guyger trial and that DPD was responsible are false. We encourage those leaders to be mindful because their words may jeapordize the integrity of the city of Dallas and DPD,” the department said.

News Source at FOX4