The City of Fort Worth has proposed an $11.25 million settlement with the family of Atatiana Jefferson nearly seven years after she was fatally shot by a Fort Worth police officer inside her home.<\/p>\n
The proposed agreement would resolve civil claims related to Jefferson’s death. The Fort Worth City Council is scheduled to consider the settlement Aug. 25. <\/p>\n
If approved by the council, it would still require approval by a probate court before it becomes final.<\/p>\n
Under the agreement, Jefferson’s two nephews, who are minors, would receive a larger share of the settlement, with their money placed in trusts until they turn 18.<\/p>\n
The remainder would be divided among Jefferson’s surviving family members.<\/p>\n
Jefferson was killed by Aaron Dean on Oct. 12, 2019<\/a>, when the former Fort Worth police officer fired through a window of her home during a welfare check.<\/p>\n Dean was later convicted of manslaughter<\/a> and sentenced to 11 years, 10 months and 12 days in prison.<\/p>\n “While no settlement can undo the devastating impact of this tragedy, we hope this agreement offers a meaningful measure of closure and allows everyone to move forward,” Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker wrote in a statement.<\/p>\n The proposed settlement follows a separate $3.5 million settlement<\/a> approved by the city in 2023 for Jefferson’s nephew, Zion Carr, who witnessed the shooting.<\/p>\n The new agreement involves a case filed on behalf of Jefferson’s estate.<\/p>\n The proposal comes after council voted to reapprove increased legal fees<\/a> in Aaron Dean’s federal civil lawsuit filed after the 2019 shooting.<\/p>\n In a statement, Jefferson’s sister Ashley Carr emphasized that while the proposed settlement represents some form of accountability for the family, the financial agreement does not erase her family’s loss.<\/p>\n “Neither a conviction nor a financial settlement can restore what was taken from our family,” she said. “Nothing can bring Atatiana home.”<\/p>\n Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela is KERA’s breaking news reporter. Got a tip? Email Emmanuel at erivas@kera.org<\/a>. KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members.<\/p>\n