Black Airman's Family Plans Lawsuit Over Fatal Police Shooting

Lawsuit Over Fatal Shooting

• ⚖️ The family of U.S. Senior Airman Roger Fortson, a 23-year-old black airman, is planning to file a lawsuit following his fatal shooting by a former Okaloosa County sheriff's deputy.
• 🎯 Civil rights attorney Ben Crump will lead the lawsuit, alleging excessive and unconstitutional deadly force by former deputy Eddie Duran.
• 📄 The lawsuit will also highlight alleged failures in training and supervision at the sheriff's office and misleading information from the apartment complex.

Circumstances of the Shooting

• 🚪 The incident occurred when Deputy Eddie Duran responded to a disturbance call at Fortson's apartment.
• 🗣️ A witness in the parking lot reported hearing yelling and sounds of slapping from the unit, though she was not certain of the origin.
• ❓ The deputy approached Fortson's door without announcing himself and positioned himself out of view of the peephole.

Fortson's Actions and Deputy's Response

• 🛡️ Roger Fortson, who was on FaceTime with his girlfriend, checked who was at the door and, upon not seeing anyone clearly, retrieved his issued firearm for protection.
• ⬇️ He held the weapon pointed toward the ground, not aggressively, as he had not yet identified a threat.
• 💥 Deputy Duran, who had similar training but did not follow it, opened fire without identifying a threat, killing Fortson.

Aftermath and Legal Proceedings

• 🚫 Duran has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and was fired by Okaloosa Sheriff Eric Aiden after an internal investigation concluded his life was not in danger.
• ⚖️ The criminal case against Duran is pending, and he is currently out on bond.
• 🗣️ Dr. Rashad Richey and Sharon Reed discussed the case, emphasizing the mother's grief and concerns about community safety with Duran out on bond.