A Florida sheriff has terminated a deputy who fatally shot a Black airman at his home while holding a handgun pointed to the ground. The sheriff stated that the deputy’s life was never in danger and he should not have used his weapon.
Sheriff Eric Aden of Okaloosa County fired Deputy Eddie Duran for shooting Senior Airman Roger Fortson on May 3. The incident occurred after responding to a domestic violence call and being directed to Fortson’s apartment.
Body camera footage shows that the deputy arrived at Fortson’s door, stood silently for 20 seconds, listened, and then pounded on the door without identifying himself. When Fortson opened the door with his legally purchased gun pointed down, the deputy immediately began firing.
The investigation revealed that Fortson did not pose a threat, and the use of deadly force by the deputy was deemed unjustified. Aden stated, “This tragic incident should have never occurred.”
After the shooting, when other deputies arrived, Duran punched a wall in frustration, believing he was about to be shot. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is conducting a criminal investigation.
Fortson, a member of the U.S. Air Force, was assigned to the 4th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field. He had no criminal record and was described as an exceptional airman.
The president of the Okaloosa County NAACP commended the sheriff’s actions and stated that this is not the end of the matter. Duran’s military and law enforcement background was detailed in the report, showing his honorable discharge from the Army and previous roles in Oklahoma before joining and resigning from the sheriff’s office.
