A black woman was fatally shot by a white police officer who was called to her home in Fort Worth, Texas, to conduct a welfare check, authorities have said.

Key points: Atatiana Jefferson was watching her eight-year-old nephew when she was shot and killed

Atatiana Jefferson was watching her eight-year-old nephew when she was shot and killed Officials have not released the name of the officer who fired the shot

Officials have not released the name of the officer who fired the shot The shooting comes less than two weeks after a white former Dallas police officer was sentenced to 10 years in prison for killing her black neighbour inside his apartment

The shooting occurred early on Saturday (local time) after a neighbour called the police non-emergency line to report that the front door to the home was open, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

In body camera video released by police, two officers search the home from the outside with flashlights before one shouts, "Put your hands up, show me your hands."

One shot is then fired through a window.

The bodycam video included images of a gun inside the residence, but it's unclear whether the firearm was found near the woman.

The officer does not identify himself as being from the police in the video.

Authorities said the bodycam footage was released soon after the shooting to provide transparency, but any video taken inside the house could not be distributed due to state law.

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office identified the woman as 28-year-old Atatiana Jefferson. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Atatiana Jefferson died at the scene. ( Twitter: @NAACP )

Police said the officer, who had been on the force since April 2018, was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.

Officials have not released the officer's name.

In the statement, police said the responding officers saw a person near the window inside the home.

The officer fired the single shot after "perceiving a threat," the statement said.

However, Ms Jefferson's family attorney, Lee Merritt, said the officer "didn't have time to perceive a threat" before he opened fire.

"That's murder," Mr Merritt said.

Ms Jefferson's family told KXAS television that Ms Jefferson was watching her eight-year-old nephew when she was killed.

Neighbour James Smith, who initially called police, told the Star-Telegram he was just trying to be a good neighbour.

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

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

"It makes you not want to call the police department."

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders on Sunday called on the Justice Department to investigate.

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The National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) labelled Ms Jefferson's death "unacceptable".

"The acts of yet another "trained" police officer have resulted in the death of #AtatianaJefferson. Gun downed in her own home. If we are not safe to call the police, if we are not safe in our homes, where can we find peace? We demand answers. We demand justice," the account posted.

Local activists held a press conference Saturday, asking the city to hold the officer who fired the shot accountable.

Pastor BR Daniels Jr said he wanted the police department to stop what he called "shooting first, asking questions later".

"We want a review of policy, procedures. How do you storm a house, kill a young lady, with an eight-year-old minor in the house, who could have been killed himself," Mr Daniels said.

The shooting comes less than two weeks after a white former Dallas police officer was sentenced to 10 years in prison for killing her black neighbour inside his own apartment.

Amber Guyger said during her trial that mistook Botham Jean's apartment for her own, which was one floor below Mr Jean's.

Guyger, 31, was convicted of Mr Jean's September 2018 murder.

AP