Community: Aaron Dean Murder Arrest Is A Good First Step But More Needs To Be Done To Rebuild Trust
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Community activists and people who live in Fort Worth's Southside say they are still angry with the police department, despite the arrest of former officer Aaron Dean.
Many believe the arrest is a step in the right direction but think the city and the police department still have a long way to go to rebuild trust with the community.
"Jubilation only comes at the end, not at the beginning," said Brady Harper
Dean shot and killed Atatiana Jefferson early Saturday morning while she was inside her home. Police said he was responding to a welfare check after a neighbor reported seeing her front door open for several hours.
On Monday, Mayor Betsy Price apologized to the community and to Jefferson's family.
"There is nothing that could justify what happened on Saturday morning," she said. "Nothing."
But her words didn't sit well with some.
"We don't want your apology," said Donnell Ballard. "We want action. We want something to be done about what's going on."
Southside neighbors gathered at Jefferson's home Monday, still processing what happened.
"Just to think that I cannot be safe in my own home, is baffling to me," said Rashanda Mays, who thinks the department needs to do a better job at training officers.
"Teach them how to police us, because what I'm feeling is they're not trained to deal with a more diverse crowd," she said. "Maybe they haven't experienced us."
Others believe change will only come with a change of leadership.
"Let's get signatures, let's start petitions," said Waymond Brown. "Let's do whatever we gotta do to get these people off of their do-nothings, because that's what they've been doing. Exactly nothing."
The Fort Worth City Council meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday evening. Several community groups plan to be their to make their voices heard about what happened.