The bodycam footage recently released by the police in Florida shows the moment when a deputy fatally shot Air Force airman Roger Fortson, 23, as he answered the door to his apartment. Fortson, a Black senior airman, was seen holding a handgun by his side when the deputy opened fire at close range, resulting in Fortson’s death later at the hospital. The family’s civil rights attorney, Ben Crump, urged officials to make the video public, as there is a dispute between the family and local police regarding what happened leading up to the deadly shooting which took place in Okaloosa County, Florida.
The incident took place when the deputy was responding to a domestic disturbance report on May 3, but Fortson’s family claims that law enforcement knocked on the wrong door and that the deputy did not give any verbal commands before shooting. The family remains adamant that the police had the wrong apartment as Fortson was on the phone with his girlfriend before the shooting and no one else was in the apartment at that time. The video footage shows the deputy knocking on the door and shouting for it to be opened before Fortson opened it with a gun in his hand. The deputy then fired multiple shots, causing Fortson to fall to the ground before demanding him to drop the gun.
Sheriff Eric Aiden of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has disputed claims that the deputy entered the wrong apartment and stated that the investigation needs to answer many questions before determining whether the deputy’s actions were justified. He emphasized the transparency of law enforcement and looks forward to the report from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the state attorney. It remains unclear who called law enforcement on the day of the shooting or why. The family suspects the deputy may have been directed to the wrong door based on witness statements.
Family attorney Ben Crump explained that Fortson was on a FaceTime call with his girlfriend when he heard the knock on his door and asked who it was, but received no response. Fortson then retrieved a gun he legally owned and walked back towards the door. Crump’s office also released FaceTime video capturing Fortson moaning and saying “I can’t breathe” after being mortally wounded. Crump described Fortson as a patriot who respected authority and followed rules, and emphasized that he would have complied with law enforcement had he known they were at his door.
Crump noted that Fortson always dreamed of becoming a pilot and described him as a good young man who respected authority. The family’s attorney was also involved in the case of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman who died in similar circumstances when police entered her apartment with a drug warrant. Crump highlighted that Fortson’s death was a loss of a patriot and emphasized the need for transparency in the investigation. The incident has raised questions about police procedure and the use of force in responding to calls, especially in cases involving mistaken addresses and the use of lethal force.
