Chilling moment woman, 28, shot dead by police in her own home

A 28-year-old black woman has been shot dead in her own home by a white police officer when investigating a house with an open door.

A neighbour from Fort Worth, Texas, noticed Atatiana Koquice Jefferson’s door open and lights on and reported it to police, who arrived to investigate at around 2.20am on Saturday night.

Body camera footage, released by police shows two officers searching the outside of the home, then one shouts “Put your hands up, show me your hands.”

A single shot is then fired through the window. The police officer cannot be heard identifying himself.

Relatives of Ms Jefferson said she was watching a nephew at the house.

According to the statement released by Fort Worth Police, the officers were responding to an ‘Open Structure’ call.

“Responding officers searched the perimeter of the house and observed a person standing inside the residence near a window,” the statement read.

“Perceiving a threat the officer drew his duty weapon and fired one shot striking the person inside the residence.”

The statement also confirmed Ms Jefferson died at the scene and the police officers began providing emergency medical care once entering the home, locating Ms Jefferson and a firearm.

According to NBCDFW, there was a gun found at the scene, however it is unclear whether it was found near Ms Jefferson.

The officer who had been with the department since April, 2018 has been placed on administrative leave “pending the outcome of the critical police incident investigation”.

Ms Jefferson’s aunt, Venitta Body, told NBCDFW her niece was a college graduate and she had a good job.

“She would never have been a threat to anyone,” Ms Body said. “This is why this is so hard to conceive.”

The neighbour, who reported the open door to a non-emergency police line said he felt partially responsible for Ms Jefferson’s death.

I'm shaken. I'm mad. I'm upset. And I feel it's partly my fault," James Smith said.

"If I had never dialled the police department, she'd still be alive."

The death comes just weeks after a female police officer was sentenced to ten years in prison for fatally shooting her unarmed black neighbour, last year in Dallas, Texas.

The jury sentenced Amber Guyger in Texas on Wednesday (local time) after she was convicted of murder over the September 2018 killing of her upstairs neighbour, Botham Jean.

Guyger testified she mistook the victim’s home for her own, which was a floor below, and believed him to be a burglar.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter, download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoo’s daily newsletter. Sign up here.