A casket bearing the name of Atatiana Jefferson and other people shot by Fort Worth Police appeared outside the home of Fort Worth’s mayor over the weekend.
Officers were called to Mayor Mattie Parker's home at about 8:30 a.m. Saturday.
Photos posted on social media show a gray coffin with red paint dripping down its sides. The name “Atatiana” was painted on top alongside the names of other people killed by Fort Worth Police.
According to the police report, officers are investigating the incident as a terroristic threat. Fort Worth Police declined to comment on the case Monday, citing an ongoing investigation.
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Parker’s office referred questions to the police department.
The incident comes as ex-Fort Worth officer Aaron Dean stands trial for the 2019 murder of Atatiana Jefferson. Dean shot and killed Jefferson inside her mother’s home after a neighbor called a non-emergency line to report an open door.
Fort Worth councilmember Chris Nettles said he was disappointed to learn the mayor’s home was targeted.
“That’s awful to have a casket in front of your house. I wouldn’t want it. I wouldn’t want my kids to see it,” Nettles said. “My heart and my concerns go out to her and her children.”
Nettles said the incident speaks to the current anger and frustration felt by many as the community awaits the outcome of the Dean trial.
Elected after the 2019 shooting prompted a national outcry, Nettles has strongly advocated for police reform.
“I have seen a lot of lip service but I have not seen a lot of implementation,” Nettles said.
In a recent 5-4 vote, the city council, including the mayor, rejected the creation of a police advisory board. It would have allowed appointed community members to review policies and recommend changes to the police chief. It was initially recommended by the Fort Worth Race and Culture Task Force as a way to bridge disparities and foster more transparency between the public and police.
Nettles said its failure to pass highlights the problems still facing the city three years after Jefferson’s death.
“Fort Worth is on the map,” Nettles said. “It is going to receive national attention and the fact that we did not allow people to be a part of the process is going to say a lot about Fort Worth and a lot about the end of this week.”
