A sheriff’s deputy in Florida who shot and killed an airman at his apartment has been fired. The deputy, Eddie Duran, was terminated after an investigation found that his use of deadly force was not reasonable and violated the sheriff’s office policy.
The airman, Senior Airman Roger Fortson, was 23 years old and stationed at Hurlburt Field. He was shot on May 3 in his Fort Walton Beach apartment. The deputy had been dispatched to a disturbance at the apartment complex but ended up at Fortson’s door, where the shooting occurred.
Body camera footage shows the deputy knocking on the door and announcing himself as being with the sheriff’s office. When Fortson opens the door, the deputy shoots him, believing he was holding a gun. However, Fortson did not point the gun at the deputy, and he did not resist.
The family’s attorney, Ben Crump, called the shooting a brutal and senseless killing, as Fortson was simply talking to his girlfriend on FaceTime and was not involved in any criminal activity. The family believes the deputy went to the wrong apartment.
Sheriff Eric Aden stated that the shooting should never have happened and that Fortson was an exceptional airman and individual. The investigation is ongoing, and the family expects criminal charges to be filed against the deputy.