Police officer who shot black woman dead in her own bedroom is arrested and charged

A Fort Worth police officer who fatally shot Atatiana Jefferson, a black woman in her home Saturday morning has been arrested and charged with murder on Monday, police have said.

The officer, Aaron Dean, was arrested around 6 p.m and posted bail about 3 hours later, officials said.

He was being held on a $200,000 bond, according to the county's inmate information website.

"The family of Atatiana Jefferson is relieved that Aaron Dean has been arrested & charged with murder," Lee Merritt, an attorney for Jefferson's family, said in a statement.


"He did get what I wanted him to get, and this is only the start," Adarius Carr, Jefferson's brother, told CNN.

"There's no way this is enough. We know this is a good step in the direction where we want to go, but it's definitely not the end."

There will be "a long road to a prosecution, conviction and an appropriate sentence," Merritt said.

Police declined to say whether Dean was arrested by a Fort Worth officer or if he turned himself in.

The department's major case and internal affairs units were "working diligently to conclude the criminal administrative investigation" into the shooting, said Sgt. Chris Daniels.

Dean was served a written administrative complaint Sunday, placed on detached duty and stripped of his badge and firearm, interim Police Chief Ed Kraus said. He resigned Monday.