Affidavit: Former Officer, Aaron Dean, Charged With Murder Hasn't Talked To Police About Shooting Atatiana Jefferson
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - The former Fort Worth officer who was arrested and charged with murdering Atatiana Jefferson in her home has not given a statement to police or an interview about his account of the deadly shooting, according to the arrest affidavit.
Aaron Dean was arrested Monday evening at his attorney's office and the booked into the Tarrant County Jail on a charge of murder. He has since posted his $200,000 bond.
Dean shot and killed Jefferson early Saturday morning while responding to a call from a neighbor about the front door of her home being open for several hours.
According to the arrest affidavit, Jefferson was inside a bedroom playing video games with her 8-year-old nephew moments before the shooting. The 8-year-old boy told police Jefferson heard noises coming from outside and that she grabbed her handgun.
The boy said she had the handgun raised and pointed toward the window. This is when Jefferson was shot.
Body-cam video from Dean's perspective showed the former officer walking around the home and then flashing a light into the window before firing a shot. He did not identify himself as an officer at any point during the response, police said.
In the video, Dean yelled "put your hands up, show me your hands" before firing.
Police also said Sunday that the responding officers did not park their marked cars in front of her home.
Interim Police Chief Ed Kraus identified Dean as the officer who shot Jefferson and said he had resigned from the department before he could be fired. According to Kraus, Dean was going to be fired Monday morning.
Dean was later arrested and charged Monday evening.
According to the affidavit, Dean declined to give an interview to police about his account and has not given a written statement, either.
Pictures of Jefferson's handgun sparked outrage as to why they were released by police on Saturday. Mayor Betsy Price addressed the pictures of the gun Monday, calling them "irrelevant."
"I want to address the images that were released picturing the gun inside Ms. Jefferson's home. A gun is irrelevant. Atatiana was in her own home, caring for her 8-year-old nephew. She was a victim. And she was taken from her family in circumstances that are truly unthinkable," Price said.
During a news conference Tuesday morning, Kraus also talked about the gun that was found.
"The gun was found just inside the room but it make sense that she would have a gun if she felt that she was being threatened or there was someone in the backyard," Kraus said.
A third-party panel of experts will be reviewing the police department and its policies and that it will be led by City Manager David Cooke, Price announced Monday.
