Civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced Tuesday the filing of a federal lawsuit against the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy, and the apartment complex where U.S. Air Force Airman Roger Fortson was fatally shot in his own home on May 3, 2024.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida on behalf of Fortson’s mother, Chantimekki “Meka” Fortson, names the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Eddie Duran, Elan Apartments, and a leasing agent as defendants. It alleges excessive force, municipal liability, wrongful death, and negligence under federal and Florida law.
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According to the lawsuit and details shared at a news conference, 23-year-old Airman Fortson was alone in his apartment on a FaceTime call when a leasing agent at Elan Apartments contacted law enforcement regarding a possible domestic disturbance. This contact was based on unverified, second-hand information.
Deputy Duran was dispatched to the apartment despite a lack of direct evidence of a disturbance. Upon arrival, the lawsuit claims Duran failed to properly identify himself and positioned himself out of sight of the peephole while aggressively banging on the door. Fortson, reportedly concerned for his safety, retrieved his legally-owned firearm and opened the door with the weapon pointed towards the ground.
The lawsuit states that within two seconds of the door opening, Deputy Duran fired multiple shots, striking Fortson six times. Both body camera footage and an internal affairs report have reportedly confirmed that Fortson never raised his weapon and did not pose a threat. Deputy Duran has since been arrested and charged with manslaughter with a weapon.
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“This was a catastrophic failure on every level: By a deputy who used unjustifiable force, by a sheriff’s office that failed to train its officers properly, and by an apartment employee whose reckless assumptions set this deadly chain of events into motion,” Attorney Ben Crump said. “Roger Fortson was a proud service member, a loving son, and a young man with his whole life ahead of him. He deserved to feel safe in his own home. Instead, he was killed where he should have been safest, based on hearsay and bias. This lawsuit is about justice for Roger and accountability for those responsible for his needless death.”
The news of Senior Airman Roger Fortson’s death has deeply affected his family and the local community, sparking demands for accountability and justice for the young airman. Deputy Duran was arrested last year and charged with manslaughter with a weapon in connection with the shooting.
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