FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) – Dozens of people crowded Fort Worth’s City Council chamber and hundreds more shouted outside to call for justice after the shooting death of Atatiana Jefferson.
About 60 people signed up to speak to the council at its Tuesday night meeting. Once the chamber’s capacity was reached, about 200 others who could not make it inside shouted bitter protests outside City Hall to Fort Worth police and political leaders.
At a city council meeting tonight where many protesters of Sunday’s shooting in Fort Worth said they would be to demand transparency from police. 15 speakers are signed up to speak. pic.twitter.com/40e2mSqz4Y
— Kaley Johnson (@KaleyAJohnson) June 12, 2019
Aaron Dean was arrested Monday night on a murder charge after he resigned as a Fort Worth police officer. Dean, who is white, shot and killed Jefferson, a black woman who was in her own home with her nephew. He is free on bond.
As the council went through its routine agenda Tuesday night, Lauren Ward stood up in the crowd more than once to tell council that she doesn’t feel safe in Fort Worth and call for city officials to resign. As the council addressed a routine zoning matter, another woman called out “Let these people speak.”
More than once, Mayor Betsy Price threatened to have people removed or adjourn the meeting altogether.
