"It's senseless": Many questions after Texas woman shot dead by cop in her home
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story identified Marquis Jefferson as Atatiana Jefferson's father. According to the family's lawyer, Lee Merritt, Marquis Jefferson is a "father figure" but "not the biological father" of Atatiana Jefferson.
The family of a Texas woman shot and killed inside her own home by police during a wellness check is demanding answers and calling for justice. Fort Worth police released body camera video of the incident where the officer shot Atatiana Jefferson through a window early Saturday. The officer is expected to be questioned Monday.
"I mean it's senseless. My daughter… had her whole life in front of her," Marquis Jefferson said.
The shooting is reminiscent of the death of Botham Jean, an unarmed black man who was killed in his Dallas home by a white police officer last year. In this case, Jefferson's family wants to know how and why the 28-year-old pre-med graduate wound up dead, reports CBS News correspondent Omar Villafranca.
Atatiana Jefferson was up late playing video games with her 8-year-old nephew Saturday. The door was left open, and neighbor James Smith called the Fort Worth police number for non-emergencies about Jefferson's home around 2 a.m. Saturday.
"I called because I was concerned for my neighbors," Smith said.
"Well, the front doors have been open since 10 o'clock and I haven't seen nobody moving around," Smith could be heard on the call.
"What I witnessed was three or four tactical officers come from around the corner seem like… And in less than a minute, I heard gunshots," Smith recounted of the incident.
Fort Worth police released body camera video showing an officer outside the house with a flashlight.
"Put your hands up! Show me your hands!" the officer shouted on the bodycam video before you could hear a gunshot. He never identified himself as police on the video before firing a shot into a window where Jefferson's nephew was steps away.
"What the officer observed and why he did not announce police will be addressed as the investigation continues," Fort Worth Police Lt. Brandon O'Neil said.
The shooting happened around half an hour from Dallas, where former police officer Amber Guyger was sentenced to 10 years in prison earlier this month for shooting 26-year-old accountant Botham Jean in his own apartment. She apparently mistook it for her own. Jean was unarmed.
In an emotional moment at Guyger's trial, Jean's brother offered her forgiveness. Marquis Jefferson said that's not something he's prepared to do.
"I don't want no hug. That's my one and only daughter. I'll never forget that," Jefferson said.
Fort Worth police said they found a gun inside of Jefferson's home — but did not say if it was related to the shooting. Meanwhile, the officer involved is on leave, pending the results of the investigation.
