A Florida Panhandle sheriff on Friday made the decision to terminate a deputy who fatally shot an airman at his residence while the airman was holding a handgun pointed towards the ground. The sheriff stated that the deputy’s life was not in danger and therefore he should not have discharged his weapon.
Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden fired Deputy Eddie Duran for fatally shooting Senior Airman Roger Fortson on May 3 following a response to a domestic violence call that directed them to Fortson’s apartment.
Duran shot 23-year-old Fortson multiple times just two seconds after he opened his door while Fortson was holding his legally owned gun in his right hand, as seen in the body camera video. The gun was aimed directly at the ground. Fortson was a Black man, while Duran, 39, identified himself as Hispanic on his voter registration.
An internal affairs investigation conducted by the sheriff’s department concluded that “Mr. Fortson did not make any hostile, attacking movements, and therefore, the former deputy’s use of deadly force was not objectively reasonable.” External law enforcement experts also reaffirmed that shooting a suspect for simply holding a gun is not justified if there is no imminent threat.
Aden expressed in a statement, “This tragic incident should have never occurred. The facts do not support the use of deadly force in response to Mr. Fortson’s actions. Mr. Fortson did not commit any crime. He was a commendable airman and individual.”
No criminal charges have been filed, but the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is currently investigating the incident.
Duran did not respond to messages left for him, and his attorney John Whitaker did not immediately comment.
According to the internal affairs report, Duran claimed he saw aggression in Fortson’s eyes when he opened the door, leading him to fear for his life and prompting him to shoot.
Attorney Ben Crump, representing Fortson’s family, acknowledged Duran’s termination as a step forward but stated that it does not constitute full justice. Crump described the deputy’s actions as not just negligent but criminal.
President of the Okaloosa County NAACP, Sabu Williams, praised the sheriff’s decision and expressed an expectation of further actions. The NAACP maintains a positive relationship with the sheriff.
Duran, a law enforcement veteran with a background as a military police officer, had joined the Okaloosa County sheriff’s office in 2019 and resigned two years later. He returned to the sheriff’s office 11 months ago.
Fortson resided about 8 miles from Hurlburt Field, where he served as a special missions aviator on an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship. He had received an Air Medal for his valor during combat.
The chain of events leading to the shooting began with a report of an argument in Fortson’s apartment complex. Deputies had not previously been called to Fortson’s apartment but had responded to similar incidents in a neighboring unit.
When Duran arrived at Fortson’s door, he failed to identify himself before demanding entry. Following a series of knocks and commands, Duran shot Fortson when he appeared at the door holding his gun.
Fortson’s girlfriend corroborated that he did not receive a response when he inquired about the visitor at the door. After the shooting, Fortson succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
Upon the arrival of other deputies, Duran displayed visible distress, exclaiming a profanity and striking a wall.
___ Reporting by Spencer from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Contributions to this report made by AP writers Freida Frisaro in Fort Lauderdale, David Fischer in Miami, and Jeff Martin in Atlanta.
