Conservatives are almost always pro-cop, but there are times when there’s just no defending a police officer’s actions — much like the cop who shot and killed a man in his own unlocked apartment after mistaking it for hers.
The Free Beacon’s Stephen Gutowski, recently named “Gun Rights Defender of the Year,” weighed in today on a case from the Fort Worth area in which a police officer fired through a window, killing the woman inside who thought there was an intruder in her back yard.
I see absolutely nothing in this description or in the bodycam footage that indicates Atatiana Jefferson did anything wrong. https://t.co/jsblOuHyPN
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) October 16, 2019
The Dallas Morning News reports:
A murder warrant for Aaron Dean, the Fort Worth officer who killed Atatiana Jefferson in her home, recounts what led up to the shooting from the perspective of her 8-year-old nephew.
The boy, who was in the room with Jefferson when she was shot, told a forensic interviewer that he and his aunt were playing video games together about 2:30 a.m. Saturday when she heard noises outside their home in the 1200 block of East Allen Avenue.
Jefferson, 28, took her handgun from her purse and pointed it “toward the window” before she was shot, the nephew said, according to the arrest-warrant affidavit.
The 8-year-old saw his aunt fall to the ground. She was pronounced dead at 3:05 a.m.
The officer did not announce himself at any point. So, to Atatiana Jefferson it would have seemed like a strange man with a flashlight was lurking around her home at 2am while she was inside with her nephew. It's reasonable that she would have taken her gun to investigate.
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) October 16, 2019
On the other hand, it is not at all reasonable that the officer did not announce his presence to try and figure out the situation or if there was an actual threat before searching the property.
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) October 16, 2019
While I'm sure he didn't intend for things to go this way it was his mistake that created the problem and led directly to the death of somebody who had committed no crimes and done nothing wrong. He is now facing murder charges. https://t.co/dBmPFSWOFD
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) October 16, 2019
Neither do I. The department has stated he violated SOP by not properly identifying himself before firing and did not follow de-escalation policy. She was in her home, doing nothing wrong. She heard a noise.
This is Texas. We hear a noise at night, we grab a firearm.
— Charles Bellows (@charles_bellows) October 16, 2019
Cannot shoot a woman for drawing a gun in her own house, particularly when you're prowling in her yard. Unforgivable.
Every badge should come with a bodycam, suspect we might have been told a very different story about the incident in the old days.
— TallDave (@TallDave7) October 16, 2019
Clearly negligence on the part of the officer.
— Aaron (@hupotassoway) October 16, 2019
Well beyond negligence even before the gunshot.
— Dan Sereduick (@dansereduick) October 16, 2019
I support the grand majority of mostly good police work across the nation. There seems, however, a standard inconsistent with the job. ER/EMT personnel know their jobs are inherently dangerous, yet they don't shoot for fear of harm. Policing is dangerous, but higher standard pls.
— Waiting for the sunlight (@sartorinious) October 16, 2019
Could have said the first sentence better… Most police work is good work… A few spoil the pot…
— Waiting for the sunlight (@sartorinious) October 16, 2019
Exercising her 2nd amendment rights within her own home. Sad.
— Heartland Conservative (@Heartland1776) October 16, 2019
It is so difficult to understand how this crap happens. Wasn't the front door OPEN? How about a knock, 'hey it's the cops, is anyone home?' Did that even happen? If no one responded and with condition of house, I could understand looking in window, but gun drawn? Why?
— Stephen Godwin (@skgodwin) October 16, 2019
Don't creep in back of people's houses unannounced
— gary garfunkel (@g_garfunkel45) October 16, 2019
She did nothing wrong. She had an equal right to shoot him as he had to shoot her. Unfortunately this was caused by him not announcing himself. That is legally irrelevant. The relevant question is whether he had an honest and reasonable belief he was about to be shot.
— Mike Smith (@nyyb4life) October 16, 2019
This is wildly out of control… She was in her OWN HOUSE… she did NOT fire her weapon. This cop murdered her, open-and-shut.
Bullshit anti-gun BIGOTRY.— quibbler (@quibbler) October 16, 2019
Real questions here. My biggest: It was a wellness check. Why was he in the bushes instead of at the front door…? Am I missing a piece of info somewhere?
— Mike Halter (@ArmyDoc2001) October 16, 2019
It doesn’t seem like it, from the bodycam footage.
Related:
‘I don’t wish anything bad on you’: Brother of man murdered by former Dallas cop asks in court if he can give her a hug https://t.co/3oqpIhtuoq
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) October 2, 2019
