There will soon be an Atatiana Jefferson Memorial Parkway in east Fort Worth
A main thoroughfare through Fort Worth’s Hillside Morningside will be renamed in honor of Atatiana Jefferson.
The Fort Worth City Council on Tuesday approved honorarily renaming the stretch of Allen Avenue and Maddox Avenue from Interstate 35W to U.S. 287 as the Atatiana Jefferson Memorial Parkway. Jefferson, 28, was shot and killed by Fort Worth police in her home Oct 12, 2019. The parkway runs past Jefferson’s home.
James Smith, Jefferson’s neighbor, said the street name would remind those who see it of her life.
“Her legacy is going to bring a change,” Smith said. “Whether it be for policing or whether it be for race relation, change is needed.”
On the night Jefferson was killed, she was playing “Call of Duty” with her 8-year-old nephew with the front door partially open. A neighbor called a non-emergency number to ask someone to check on the open door.
About three minutes later, two officers parked around the corner from the house and went into the back yard. When Jefferson looked out the back window, Aaron Dean shot her.
Dean resigned and was charged with murder two days after. He was indicted by a grand jury in December, but COVID-19 halted most court proceedings, and Dean’s trial has not moved forward.
Rishada Maxie, who said she represented some of Jefferson’s family, described her as a “sweet, kind, loving, gentle spirit.” While she thanked the city for the honor, she urged the council to continue to fight for Jefferson’s memory.
“Please don’t let this be your first and only thing that you do on behalf of my cousin whose life was taken unjustly,” she said.
This story was originally published October 20, 2020 at 8:38 PM.
