This settlement follows the approval made on Tuesday by the council, aiming to address Zion’s needs and set up funds for his education, resulting from the events that occurred four years ago.
The Fort Worth City Council has authorized a $3.5 million settlement linked to a tragic incident involving a fatal police shooting, where a child, Zion Carr, then 8 years old, witnessed the killing of his aunt, Atatiana Jefferson, by a police officer
The settlement stems from the fatal police shooting incident that took place on October 12, 2019, when Aaron Dean, a former officer, fatal police shooting Jefferson, a 28-year-old Black woman, after responding to a nonemergency call regarding an open front door at her residence. Dean, convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to almost 12 years in prison, testified during the trial that he perceived Jefferson to be armed, while prosecutors argued otherwise, citing evidence to the contrary.
During the distressing fatal police shooting incident, body camera footage revealed that the officers involved did not properly identify themselves upon arrival at the house, leading to a tense situation that escalated quickly
Dean, with his firearm drawn, fired a fatal police shooting through a window after instructing Jefferson to show her hands, despite her apparent confusion, believing there was an intruder in her backyard. The settlement‘s approval also comes in the wake of further tragedy, as Zion’s mother, Amber Carr, passed away earlier this year due to congestive heart failure. This settlement seeks to provide support for Zion’s present and future needs following the devastating and life-altering events related to the fatal police shooting.
Leave a Reply