A Florida sheriff’s deputy has been terminated for the fatal shooting of a Black airman in his own home, a move that has added fuel to the ongoing national debate about the use of force by law enforcement. The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office announced on Friday that Deputy Eddie Duran was fired after an internal affairs investigation concluded his use of deadly force was not “objectively reasonable” and violated agency policy.
This contentious incident occurred on May 3 when Duran responded to a call about a “disturbance in progress” at an apartment complex. Upon arrival, Duran was directed to the apartment of 23-year-old Roger Fortson. In the body camera footage of the incident, a deputy is seen knocking on the door and announcing himself as a law enforcement officer. Fortson then appears, holding a gun pointed at the ground. The deputy later identified as Duran immediately fired multiple shots. Fortson later died at the hospital.
During the interview with investigators, Duran claimed that Fordson’s arm was “slightly tilted, which means it’s not pointing straight down.” He described it as “somehow lifting his arm slightly.”
But the investigation found otherwise. According to a statement released by the internal investigation, “the gun pointing towards the ground was enough for the former deputy to clearly see the back of the rearview mirror,” and “the conclusion reached by the investigation is that Mr. Fordson did not point the gun in the direction of the former deputy.”
“This tragic incident should never have happened,” Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden said in a press release. “The facts do not support the use of deadly force as an appropriate response to Mr. Fortson’s actions. Mr. Fortson did not commit any crimes. He is, in every way, an outstanding pilot and individual.”
Lawyer Ben Crump said in a statement to CNN on Friday, “The deputy’s actions were not just careless, but criminal. While the criminal investigation is ongoing, we fully expect charges to be brought against this official. The video footage provides strong evidence that this was a senseless and brutal killing of a young man who was simply enjoying time alone with his dog while video chatting with his girlfriend,” the statement concluded.
The families of Crump and Fortson believe that the law enforcement responded to the wrong apartment. Fortson was talking on the phone with his girlfriend alone before the shooting incident. There was no physical altercation in his apartment.
Relevant articles:
– Florida deputy who shot airman in his home has been fired for using unreasonable deadly force, sheriff’s office says, cnn.com, 06/03/2024
– The Florida deputy who shot U.S. airman Roger Fortson has been fired, KUAC, 05/31/2024
– Florida sheriff’s office fires deputy who fatally shot Black airman at home, Bangor Daily News, 05/31/2024
– A police officer shot a blind pet dog. This small town wants justice., The Washington Post, 06/01/2024
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