Officer Who Killed Roger Fortson Charged With Manslaughter

By: Shannon Dawson, Black America Web

Justice is one step closer to being served for 23-year-old Roger Fortson, the Black U.S. Air Force senior airman who was shot dead by a former Florida sheriff’s deputy inside his home in May. 

According to CNN, former Okaloosa County deputy Eddie Duran, 38, has been charged with manslaughter with a firearm in the shooting death of Fortson on May 3. Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille announced the charge, which is a first-degree felony that could result in up to 30 years in prison. Duran was booked into county jail on Aug. 26 after turning himself in.

“He will be held in custody pending his initial appearance,” said Marcille. The attorney noted that Duran had a virtual court appearance scheduled for Tuesday morning.

What happened to Roger Fortson?

According to authorities, on May 3, Fortson was shot in his apartment moments after opening the door when former deputy Duran responded aggressively to what a witness claimed was a non-existent domestic disturbance call.

Bodycam footage captured the officer banging loudly on the door. When Fortson, possibly fearing an intruder, answered while holding his legally owned gun at his side and pointed down, Duran immediately fired, hitting Fortson six times. Despite the Air Force man’s gun being pointed down and not raised, Duran did not instruct him to drop the weapon until after the shooting. Duran reportedly said he fired because he thought he was “about to get shot” and “die.”

It apparently took an entire month for the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office to determine that the May 3 shooting death of Fortson violated department policy. Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden stated Duran’s heinous actions did not justify the use of deadly force against Fortson while civil rights attorney Ben Crump argued that the facts showed Deputy Duran violated the law.

“The firing of the officer who shot and killed Roger Fortson is a step forward, but it is not full justice for Roger and his family,” Crump said at a press conference in mid-May. “The actions of this deputy were not just negligent, they were criminal. As we’ve stated from the beginning, and as echoed today by Sheriff Aden, Roger was an exceptional airman who did absolutely nothing to warrant being gunned down in his own home.”

Following Monday’s ruling, Crump told ABC News that the decision represents a “first step towards justice” for Fortson and his family. The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office also issued a statement acknowledging the Fortson family’s suffering and extending their best wishes as the case moves forward.