On March 13, a judge in the US District Court in Oakland denied a motion to dismiss charges in the case of Yuvette Henderson, a 38-year-old woman killed by Emeryville police on February 3, 2015. Henderson’s family is seeking damages from the Emeryville Police Department for wrongful death, as well as changes to city policies on police use of force. The motion filed by the Emeryville police department claimed there was nothing for a jury to decide in the lawsuit, because officers Michelle Shepard and Warren Williams had a reasonable fear for their safety. Monday’s ruling means the lawsuit will go forward to either a settlement or a jury trial.

At a previous hearing on the morning of February 23, Antrinette Jenkins, Henderson’s sister, stood outside the federal courthouse in Oakland with about 70 supporters, waiting to get into the hearing. She said the crowd that morning was the biggest she had seen in support of her sister. “It feels good to know we have a lot of support,” she said. Jenkins said she didn’t hear the news of her sister’s death until the morning afterward, and it hit her hard. “I couldn’t imagine life without her,” she said. “I’m going through it today as if it happened today.”

Many supporters came in response to calls from the Anti-Police Terror Project (APTP), an organization based in Oakland that describes its mission as “ending state-sanctioned murder and violence perpetuated against Black, Brown and Poor people.” Activists with APTP demanded the release of surveillance footage in the weeks after the shooting, but were ultimately denied. Emeryville police said body camera footage was not available, because while all of their officers carry such devices, they said the officers involved in Henderson’s shooting did not turn them on until after she was shot.

Read More: Community support remains strong as Yuvette Henderson lawsuit goes forward | Significant Victory in Yuvette Henderson Civil Case, Summary Judgment Denied

Related Features: Police Allow Yuvette Henderson's Family to View Video, But Critical Moments Not Available | Civil Disobedience Action Pushes for Answers in Police Killing of Yuvette Henderson | Yuvette Henderson Gunned Down by Emeryville Police in Oakland