Atatiana Jefferson‘s family will reportedly receive an $11.25 million settlement for her shooting death. Former officer Aaron Dean was convicted of shooting and killing Atatiana inside her own home in Fort Worth, Texas, on Oct. 12, 2019.
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Atatiana Jefferson’s Family To Receive $11.25 Million Settlement
The Fort Worth City Council approved an $11.25 million settlement for Atatiana Jefferson’s estate on Tuesday, August 25, according to CBS News.
Ex-police officer Aaron Dean shot Atatiana in Fort Worth, Texas, during a safety check in 2019. Not only that, but she was killed in front of her 8-year-old nephew in her own home. Dean was later found guilty of manslaughter instead of murder and received an 11-year prison sentence.
The family’s lawyer, John J. Coyle, said that no settlement could restore Atatiana’s life.
“Atatiana Jefferson’s death was a profound tragedy that never should have happened. She was a beloved daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, aunt, and friend – a young woman with a bright future whose life was taken far too soon,” said Coyle. “No settlement can restore that life or erase the pain her family and loved ones have endured. Through The Atatiana Project, that collective grief and determination became a force for positive change. The Project has transformed tragedy into opportunity and remembrance into action, creating programs and initiatives designed to empower young people, strengthen communities, and open doors that too often remain closed. That is the legacy we should celebrate.”
The 28-year-old pre-medical student and graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana. In addition, Atatiana also worked in the pharmaceutical equipment industry as she saved for medical school.
It’s unclear how soon the family will receive the settlement because it still requires probate court approval.
Jefferson Was Killed Inside Her Own Home
Atatiana Jefferson was murdered by the police on October 12, 2019. Jefferson and her 8-year-old nephew, Zion, were playing video games when they heard a noise outside. He later testified that they had burned hamburgers, and her front door was left open to let out the smoke.
After a neighbor reported her doors were open to a non-emergency police number requesting a safety check, the police arrived at Jefferson’s residence at approximately 2:25 a.m. Within one minute and 17 seconds of their arrival, Dean fatally shot Atatiana.
Zion testified that after they heard a sound, his aunt got her gun and moved towards the window, per ABC News. Body cam footage captured Dean approaching the window when all of a sudden he yelled, “Put your hands up, show me your hands.” Then he shot Atatiana through the glass.
Afterward, Dean claimed that he saw Atatiana’s weapon and thought she was a burglar, but Prosecutor R. Dale Smith noted that he never told his partner he saw a gun.
“What officer would allow one of his partners to run into a house where they thought a burglary was happening without saying, ‘Hey, there’s a gun in there?’” Smith asked. “He never said there was a gun, because he didn’t know.”
What Is The Atatiana Project?
Ataiana’s family founded The Atatiana Project after her murder, a nonprofit organization that provides children with educational, career-oriented programs in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) Careers in which they are disproportionately underrepresented.
“This organization was created in honor of Atatiana Jefferson who, while with her nephew, was murdered in her home by a Fort Worth police officer,” reads the website. “The project continues the work Atatiana was doing at the time of her death —exposing youth to STEAM. For underserved communities, this will bridge educational gaps and open career paths.”
