Fort Worth

Fort Worth Police Shooting: What the Body Cam Shows

The same day a Fort Worth police officer fired into a home during a well-being check on Saturday, police released one minute and 16 seconds of the officer's body camera footage.

The officer, who has not been identified, shot and killed 28-year-old Atatiana Jefferson who was at home with her 8-year-old nephew.

The footage begins with the officer at an open front door at the home on East Allen Avenue in Fort Worth around 2:25 a.m. Saturday. The footage that was publicly released ends as soon as a shot is fired into a back window of the home.

Video provided by the Fort Worth Police Department shows an officer open fire through a window, striking a woman watching him from inside, police said.

NBC 5 asked a private investigator and former Cockrell Hill police chief with two decades in law enforcement to help break down what can be seen in the video.

Catherine Smit-Torrez watched the moments leading up to the shooting. In the video, there is a glare from the officer's flashlight on the glass before he fires into the window. Smit-Torrez said she can't make out what's past the glare.

"I'm trying to figure out what they saw on the other side of that glass," she said.

In the video, the officer shouts, "Put your hands up, show me your hands." Just over one second passes from the first command to the officer firing the shot into the window.

"He said, 'Get your hands up,' but did he think there was something in their hand? Was there cover he could have retreated to first, rather than having to shoot? Those are all a lot of questions that have to be answered. Right now there's really not many answers," Smit-Torrez said.

Fort Worth police have said the officer perceived a threat and released two still images of a handgun police said was in the bedroom. Police have not specified where the gun was in the bedroom or if they believe Jefferson was holding it when an officer shot her.

Sunday, Fort Worth police confirmed the officer did not announce he was an officer prior to the shooting.

"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.

Fort Worth police released the audio of a call a neighbor placed to the department's non-emergency line to request a check on the home in which Atatiana Jefferson was shot and killed by an officer.

Smit-Torrez said she would want clarification on if, at any point in the call, police tried to contact Jefferson in the home.

Police were at the house after a neighbor called the non-emergency police line to report the doors to Jefferson's home appeared to be open.

"They're coming to a home where a neighbor has called and said this is very unusual," Smit-Torrez said. "They're expecting a prowler, they're not expecting the home owner to be the one in there."

Fort Worth police released the audio of a call a neighbor placed to the department's non-emergency line to request a check on the home in which Atatiana Jefferson was shot and killed by an officer.

At the same time, Smit-Torrez pointed out the resident had not called police for help and would not have expected officers outside her window -- if police didn't announce their presence.

"Maybe the person inside thought they were prowlers because they didn't call the police," Smit-Torrez said.

Fort Worth police said the officer who fired the shot would be interviewed Monday.

There was a second officer at the scene. Police have not released any video from the second officer's body camera.

"This is definitely going to be one of those troubling police shootings and it's going to be analyzed from every different direction," Smit-Torrez said.

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