Aaron Dean
© Tarrant County Correction Center
A former Fort Worth, Texas, cop who was accused of gunning down a black woman inside her own home was indicted for her murder on Friday.

Aaron Dean, 35, allegedly shot Atatiana Jefferson, 28, through a window while responding to an "open structure" call with his partner around 2:30 a.m. on Oct. 12.


Comment: Previously: Texas cop who killed woman through window of her own home has resigned & may face criminal charges


Jefferson's family were relieved to hear of the indictment, but said they "have a long way to go" at a press conference on Friday, NBCDFW reported.

"When I heard it, it was definitely surreal because it was kind of facing the fact that this is the reality we are having to face at this moment," said Jefferson's sister Ashley Carr, the outlet reported.

Jefferson's mother, who is hospitalized for congestive heart failure, was not present, but spoke with reporters via Skype, NBCDFW reported. Her father also recently died of a heart attack.

The family's attorney, Lee Merritt, said at a news conference that the case resembles that of former Dallas cop Amber Guyger, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for murdering Botham Jean in his Dallas apartment, the Dallas Morning News reported.

"I don't second-guess the jury in the Amber Guyger case," Merritt said. "We're hoping for a sentence beyond 15 years."

Jefferson, a pre-med graduate, had been up late with her 8-year-old nephew playing video games when a neighbor called a non-emergency police number after spotting a door ajar.

Jefferson heard movement outside of the house around and grabbed a gun and pointed it toward the window.

"Put your hands up. Show me your hands!" Dean can be heard yelling in bodycam footage before firing through the window, WFAA reported.

Dean resigned from the police department before he would have been fired for violating department policies.

No trial date has been set.