Source: S. Lee Merritt/GoFundMe / S. Lee Merritt/GoFundMe
Officials in Fort Worth, Texas approved a $3.5 million settlement to Zion Carr, the nephew of Atatiana Jefferson. In 2019, Carr was 8 years old and present when his aunt was shot by former police officer Aaron Dean inside her home.
According to the Associated Press, the Fort Worth City Council voted to approve the whopping settlement, that will be used to cover Carr’s living expenses and current needs. Some of the money will be allocated to a college savings fund for the preteen.
In 2022, Dean was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to over 10 years in prison for Jefferson’s death. During the intense shooting trial, Zion offered more details about what happened during his aunt’s fatal encounter with the white Fort Worth officer.
On the night of the tragic incident, which took place on Oct. 12, 2019, at Jefferson’s home in Fort Worth, Carr told the court that he was in the bedroom playing video games with his “Aunt Tay” just before she was shot. He claimed that he had accidentally burned hamburgers earlier in the night, so they opened up the door to let some fresh air in the house.
As they were playing video games, Jefferson became suspicious after she heard noise stirring outside.
According to his testimony, Atatiana Jefferson went to her purse to grab her gun, but he did not see her raise her firearm toward the window. Zion said he did not hear or see anything outside, but he instantly knew something was wrong when he saw his aunt fall to the ground and start crying.
“I was thinking, ‘Is it a dream?’” he testified. “She was crying and just shaking.” Zion revealed that he did not know about his aunt’s death until later on saying, “I was very upset.”
On the night of the shooting, Dean and one other officer traveled to Jefferson’s home to respond to a neighbor who reported that her doors were open in the middle of the night. The neighbor reportedly called a nonemergency police number to ask for a safety check at the house.
During his testimony, Dean claimed that he opened fire because he saw a silhouette of Jefferson with a gun in the window. Body camera footage showed that neither Dean nor the other officer identified themselves as police before the shooting took place.
Zion’s $3.5 million settlement comes after the death of his mother, Amber Carr, who passed away from congestive heart failure in January.
SEE ALSO:
Rest In Power Amber Carr: Sister Of Atatiana Jefferson Dies From Heart Complications
Former Fort-Worth Officer Who Killed Atatiana Jefferson Found Guilty Of Manslaughter
