FORT WORTH, Texas — Fort Worth City Council is set to rule Tuesday on a proposed multi-million-dollar settlement with the nephew of Atatiana Jefferson.
City officials announced the proposed settlement – worth $3.5 million, including a lump sum to be placed in a trust for Zion Carr’s immediate needs and living expenses and a college savings plan – earlier this month.
The proposal will only take care of a portion of the lawsuit – which includes Jefferson’s estate, and the lawsuit filed by her late sister, Amber Carr, who is Zion’s mother.
Jefferson was shot and killed by former Fort Worth Police Officer Aaron Dean, who was doing a welfare check at Jefferson’s home in October 2019. Dean was convicted of manslaughter and was sentenced to 11 years, 10 months and 12 days in prison on Dec. 15, 2022.
Zion witnessed the shooting when he was 8 years old. His family said following his aunt’s death, Zion has struggled mentally and emotionally. But he’s also been an inspiration to many across the nation.
He’s been the face of the movement to call for justice in the city of Fort Worth. His family created the Atatiana Project and set up an annual parade to honor Jefferson’s memory.
“Our goal is to remember how great she was and how much the community loved her,” Ashley Carr told WFAA ahead of the parade on the 4th anniversary of Jefferson’s death. Ashely Carr is now the primary caretaker for Zion after his mother’s death due to severe health complications earlier this year.
The Fort Worth City Council has to approve the proposed settlement deal. The estate claims remain outstanding and will continue.
“I believe this settlement is the right thing to do, and I hope this can bring a degree of reconciliation and health for Atatiana Jefferson’s loved one,” Mayor Mattie Parker said in a statement.
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