Horrifying moment white Texas police officer fatally shots black woman, 28, inside her own home after a neighbor called authorities because her front door was open
By Lauren Edmonds For Dailymail.com
Published: 20:02 EDT, 12 October 2019 | Updated: 20:36 EDT, 12 October 2019
A white police officer in Texas fatally shot a black woman inside her home after officers were called to do a welfare check, according to authorities.
Atatiana Koquice Jefferson, 28, of Fort Worth was killed by an unidentified police officer with the Fort Worth Police Department on Saturday morning.
62-year-old James Smith, Jefferson's neighbor, called the local non-emergency number after he noticed her front door was open and lights were on around 2.25am.
He knew Jefferson was supposed to be home with her 8-year-old nephew.
'I'm shaken. I'm mad. I'm upset. And I feel it's partly my fault,' Smith told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
'If I had never dialed the police department, she'd still be alive.'
Fifteen minutes after authorities arrived to the scene, Smith her a gun shot and watched several officers rush Jefferson's home.
According to a statement from authorities, officers responded to Smith's call and arrived to the 1200 block of East Allen Avenue.
In police bodycam footage that has been released, the officer is seen walking around the perimeters of the home and looking through windows inside the residence.
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At one point the officer pulls out a flashlight when he approaches a dark area of the house and appears to gain entrance into her backyard.
Seconds later the officer looks inside a dark window, draws his gun and yells, 'put your hands up! Show me your hands!'
He then shots at the victim almost immediately.
While searching the home's exterior, the officer appears to gain entrance into Jefferson's backyard and uses a flashlight to look around the area
While searching the home's exterior, the officer appears to gain entrance into Jefferson's backyard and uses a flashlight to look around the area
Noticing a figure inside the home, the officer tells the Jefferson to 'put your hands up' before fatally shooting her
Authorities say the officer perceived a threat and after firing his weapon went inside the home to administer emergency care.
The statement says officers found a firearm, but it was not revealed if Jefferson was anywhere near the weapon at the time of the incident.
Jefferson succumbed to her injuries and died at the scene.
