The city of Fort Worth declared Tuesday to be “Tay Day” exactly two years after Atatiana Jefferson was killed in her own home by a police officer.
"Atatiana's life deserves to be celebrated and remembered as the shining light,” Fort Worth City Council member Chris Nettles read from a proclamation.
The entire chamber applauded as Jefferson’s family members watched.
"It's definitely been two long years. Two stressful years,” Jefferson’s sister Ashley Carr said. “Two years full of anxiety."
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Atatiana Jefferson, who dreamed of becoming a doctor and finding a cure for diabetes, was known as “Tay.”
In a case that has received national attention, a neighbor called police on Oct. 12, 2019, about an open door at Jefferson's house. At the time, the department said officer Aaron Dean saw Jefferson through a back window reaching for a gun.
Dean shot and killed her and was charged days later with her murder.
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Jefferson's sisters can't talk about the trial because of a gag order but did want to thank the community for supporting them.
"The proclamation of naming today Tay Day is one step in the direction of preserving the legacy of our sister,” Ashley Carr said.
A year ago, the city renamed parts of Allen and Maddux avenues as Atatiana Jefferson Memorial Parkway and is working on renaming parts of Interstate 35W too.
Nettles said the proclamation is just another example of the city's support.
"Today is our first step to honor her as a new council and we're going to do more,” Nettles said. “This is not the end."
