CBS News

U.S. airman shot and killed by Florida sheriff's deputy

Guardian

Police shoot and kill Black US airman in Florida home

Florida sheriff deputies burst into wrong apartment and fatally shot U.S. airman, attorney says

Air Force airman killed by Florida deputies who were at wrong apartment, attorney says

Roger Forston: Airman fatally shot by Florida deputy in wrong apartment, family attorney says

Forbes

Black Air Force Member Roger Fortson Allegedly Killed After Deputy Entered Wrong Apartment, Lawyer Says: Here’s What We Know

Independent

Florida sheriff releases bodycam of fatal police shooting of Black US airman at home

Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden on Thursday released bodycam footage of a sheriff's deputy shooting 23-year-old Roger Fortson, a Black US airman who later died of his injuries.

Florida police on Thursday released bodycam footage of an Okaloosa County Sheriff’s deputy shooting 23-year-old Roger Fortson, a Black US airman who later died of his injuries.

New York Post

Previously, police had said that the deputy, who remains unidentified, was responding to a disturbance call in progress and "reacted in self-defense after he encountered a 23-year-old man armed with a gun."

An initial statement from police said that the deputy, who remains unidentified, was responding to a call of a disturbance in progress and "reacted in self defense after he encountered a 23-year-old man armed with a gun."

On Thursday, the airman's mother, Chantemekki Fortson, accompanied by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the family, held a press conference in which they sought to dispute the narrative put forward by police. They asserted that the deputy had gone to the wrong apartment, covered the door’s peephole and did not announce himself.

The airman's mother, Chantemekki Fortson, accompanied by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, Thursday held a press conference to dispute the narrative put forward by police. They asserted that the deputy went to the wrong apartment, covered the door’s peephole, and didn't announce himself.

Aden said the bodycam footage of the May 3 incident was released to dispute those assertions. The video shows the deputy twice shouting, "Sheriff’s office! Open the door!" However, the deputy steps aside after banging on the door, seemingly out of view of the peephole.

Eric Aden, the county sheriff, said the bodycam footage of the May 3 incident was released to dispute those assertions. The video shows the deputy twice shouting: "Sheriff’s office! Open the door!" However, he steps aside after banging on the door, seemingly out of view of the peephole.

After Fortson opens the door while carrying a handgun that was pointed downwards, the deputy shouts, "Step back!" before firing off several shots. He then shouts "Drop the gun! Drop the gun!" while Fortson insists it's no longer in his possession.

Once Fortson opened the door while carrying a handgun that was pointed downwards, the deputy is heard shouting "Step back!" before firing off several shots. He then shouts "Drop the gun! Drop the gun!" as Fortson insisted it was no longer in his possession.

Crump, in response to the video, in a statement said that the officer did not tell Fortson to drop his gun before shooting and that he shot "multiple times within a split second of the door being opened." The family remains "adamant" that the deputy was at the wrong apartment.

After the release of the video, Crump, the lawyer representing the family, released a statement that said the officer did not tell Fortson to drop his gun before shooting and that he shot "multiple times within a split second of the door being opened." It added he remained "adamant" the deputy was at the wrong apartment, stating Fortson had been on the phone with his girlfriend and that no one else was with him.

The deputy was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an official investigation.

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This is a tragic incident, one which police would never hope to have happened. Police have reassured the family and the community that no one is seeking to cover anything up and that everything will be looked at carefully. A determination of whether these actions were justified or not will be established by a full investigation.

The video released by police gives some answers, but raises troubling questions as well. Why did the officer not tell Fortson to drop the weapon before shooting? Was the officer trained to deal with law-abiding citizens who are registered gun owners? Why did the officer make no attempt at life-saving measures after shooting him?

Florida sheriff's office releases body camera video showing deputy fatally shoot U.S. airman

There's a 50% chance that there will be at least 1.41 small firearms per capita in the USA by 2029, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Metaculus2

Number of Firearms per Capita US 2029

via the Okaloosa County Sheriff's office

Footage of Fatal Shooting of US Airman Released by Florida Police

Murders and attempted murders

Police brutality and misconduct

United States of America

Police

This heavily redacted video doesn't answer all the questions that need to be addressed in order for the family to get the full story. Although the sheriff claims the deputy was at the correct apartment, he was acting on fourth-hand information that could've misled him. There's also no explanation for why the deputy didn't issue multiple verbal demands and instead fired several shots.

Military.com

Florida Airman Was Shot by Deputy Within Seconds of Opening Apartment Door, Body Cam Footage Shows

The deputy was at the correct door and announced himself, which doesn't justify the shooting but also contradicts some of the claims being made by interested outsiders. The sheriff's department will cooperate with any and all independent investigations to make sure the truth about this unfortunate incident is uncovered and these tragedies can be prevented in the future.

FOX News

Bodycam footage shows moment deputy fatally shoots Air Force airman at his home

There's a 50% chance that there will be at least 1.41 small firearms per capita in the USA by Jan. 1, 2029, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Fla. Police Release Footage of Shooting of US Airman

Fla. Police Release Footage of Fatal Shooting of US Airman Released by Florida Police

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