Texas woman shot by officer picked up gun- warrant

Body cam video shows what former Texas police officer Aaron Dean saw moments before he fatally shot 28-year-old Atatiana Jefferson through the window of her home, as she played video games with her nephew over the weekend.

Dean has since been arrested for murder.

And now - according to an arrest warrant affidavit released Tuesday, the victim’s nephew said that she had taken a handgun from her purse when she heard noises outside.

The arrest warrant said quote: “Jefferson raised her handgun, pointed it toward the window, then Jefferson was shot and fell to the ground.”

The noises Jefferson heard were Dean and his partner, called to investigate why her front door was open.

That’s according to Fort Worth Police Chief Ed Kraus:

(SOUNDBITE)(English) FORT WORTH POLICE CHIEF, ED KRAUS, SAYING:

“They believe they were responding to an open structure call, and not just a welfare check.”

But, he says the officers did not make themselves known before Dean fired his weapon.

During a Tuesday press conference, Kraus could not say whether Dean felt threatened by Jefferson.

(SOUNDBITE)(English) FORT WORTH POLICE CHIEF, ED KRAUS, SAYING:

“I cannot tell you what he felt. He did not give a statement to our investigators. The gun was found just inside the room but it makes sense that she would have a gun if she felt that she was being threatened of if there were someone in the backyard.”

Texas lawmaker Nicole Collier, on Tuesday, called for change in police training, noting that holding a gun inside ones home is not illegal in Texas.

(SOUNDBITE)(English) DEMOCRATIC MEMBER OF THE TEXAS HOUSE OF REPUBLICANS, NICOLE COLLIER, SAYING:

“We have got to stop the affirmative defenses (flash) - like showing marijuana, or showing a handgun when people are rightfully in their own home.”

Jefferson’s family has called for the swift prosecution of Dean.