Fort Walton Beach, Florida – The release of body camera footage by the Okaloosa County Sheriff sparked controversy Thursday, revealing the fatal shooting of a Black man, U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Roger Fortson, by a sheriff’s deputy. The family of Fortson decried the incident as “unjustifiable” during a news conference led by civil rights attorney Ben Crump. The family disputed the deputy’s claim of self-defense, alleging that the deputy went to the wrong apartment, covered the peephole, and failed to announce himself.
The video depicted the deputy arriving at a Fort Walton Beach apartment building on May 3, engaging with a woman outside who reported hearing an argument. Subsequently, the deputy approached an apartment door, knocked, and stood off to the side. Upon the door’s opening, Fortson was seen holding a handgun pointed downward, prompting the deputy to shout commands and fire shots. Fortson, lying on the ground, denied possessing a gun before the deputy called for paramedics.
The responding deputy, whose identity remains undisclosed, has been put on administrative leave pending investigation. Ben Crump, representing Fortson’s family, criticized the officer’s swift action and maintained that the deputy mistakenly targeted the wrong apartment. Crump also mentioned that Fortson was on a FaceTime call with his girlfriend and grabbed the gun out of fear before the shooting occurred.
In a heartbreaking turn of events, Chantemekki Fortson, Roger’s mother, attended the news conference holding a framed portrait of her late son. Emotions ran high as Crump described the killing as “unjustifiable” and lamented the loss of a promising Air Force service member. The investigation, now in the hands of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, is being treated as a criminal matter with the circumstances surrounding the deputy’s actions yet to be determined.
The tragic death of Fortson opens wounds reminiscent of past incidents involving Black individuals fatally shot by law enforcement in their own homes. The quest for accountability in such cases, championed by advocates like Crump, continues to spotlight the systemic issues contributing to these recurring tragedies. As the investigation unfolds, communities await answers and justice for Roger Fortson, a dedicated Airman whose life was cut short in a harrowing encounter.