The shooting occurred at about 4:30 p.m. last Friday at Fortson’s residence at the Chez Elan Apartments on Racetrack Road in Ocean City. The deputy, who Aden said was responding to a call of a disturbance in progress, shot Fortson several times in what the sheriff called a “tragic event” that is being investigated by state authorities.
At the news conference, Aden showed video footage of the incident from the deputy’s body worn camera. The sheriff prefaced the showing of the video by saying the footage refutes statements from an attorney for Fortson’s family that claim the deputy entered the wrong apartment and “burst through the door” of Fortson’s unit.
In the video, the deputy is shown knocking on Fortson’s door, and less than half a minute later someone, apparently Fortson, is heard from inside the apartment saying something about “police.”
After the deputy knocks twice more and announces, “Sheriff’s Office, open the door,” both times, Fortson is seen opening the door while barefooted, dressed in blue jeans and a black T-shirt, and holding a gun in his right hand. The gun was pointed at the floor.
After the deputy ordered him to “Step back,” Fortson raised his empty left hand with a “hold on” type of gesture, then moved his left hand upward before the deputy began shooting him.
The video then shows Fortson falling to the floor as a small dog runs away.
“Drop the gun! Drop the gun!” the deputy yelled.
“It’s over there,” Fortson said.
“Drop the gun!” the deputy yelled again.
“I don’t have it,” Fortson said.
WARNING—graphic content: LINK TO BODY-WORN CAMERA VIDEO
Fortson, 23, of Atlanta, entered active duty on Nov. 19, 2019, and arrived at Hurlburt Field in March of 2020, according to Hurlburt Field officials.
In an earlier statement, Aden said that after the shooting he immediately placed the deputy on administrative leave and asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to conduct the required criminal investigation. The State Attorney’s Office will also conduct an independent review, he said.
Fortson’s death is a result that “we never hope to encounter,” Aden said at today’s news conference at the OCSO Administrative Building in Shalimar. “And I’m also thinking about our team here and the deputy involved in the tragic event. I’m here this afternoon to further assure Mr. Fortson’s family, our dedicated team and community we serve, and the broader public, that we are doing what we can to ensure the facts of this case are fully understood.”
He added, “It is important to note that while this is a criminal investigation, no determination has been made as to whether the deputy’s actions are justified or not.”
National civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump has been retained by Fortson’s family. This posting on Crump’s website on Wednesday stated:
“According to a witness who was on Facetime with Roger during the entire encounter, Roger was alone in his apartment when he heard a knock at the door. He asked, “Who is it?” but didn’t get a response. A few minutes later, there was a very aggressive knock on the door, but Roger didn’t see anyone when he looked out the peephole. Concerned, he did what any other law-abiding citizen would do and retrieved his legally owned gun, but as he was walking back to the living room, police burst through the door. When they saw the gun, they shot Roger six times. The witness has said that she saw Roger on the ground stating, “I can’t breathe,” after he was shot. She has also said the police were in the wrong apartment as there was no disturbance in the apartment and he was alone.”
Aden on Tuesday had issued a statement that began with, “All of us at the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office are saddened about the fatal officer involved shooting over the weekend. Late Friday afternoon, our deputy responded to a call of a disturbance in progress where he encountered an armed man. The deputy shot the man, who later succumbed to his injuries.”
Crump issued the following statement on Wednesday:
“The circumstances surrounding Roger’s death raise serious questions that demand immediate answers from authorities, especially considering the alarming witness statement that the police entered the wrong apartment. The narrative released by law enforcement, which falsely suggests that Roger posed a threat, is deeply troubling and inconsistent with the details provided by that witness: Roger was home alone, causing no disturbance, when his life was tragically cut short by law enforcement.
“We are calling for transparency in the investigation into Roger’s death and the immediate release of bodycam video to the family. His family and the public deserve to know what occurred in the moments leading up to this tragedy. We urge authorities to immediately stop demonizing Roger in their statements to the media. It’s imperative to correct the record and acknowledge the wrongful entry into Roger’s home. What we know for sure is that Roger was a dedicated U.S. Airman serving the country and a cherished member of his community. Any attempts to tarnish his character only compound the pain felt by his loved ones.
“We demand justice for Roger Fortson. We demand accountability for those responsible for his death. And we stand in solidarity with Roger’s family and friends as they navigate this unimaginable loss.”
At today’s news conference, Aden said, “Here in Okaloosa County, we pride ourselves in our commitment to transparency and accountability. These investigations take time. But I want to assure you that we’re not hiding or covering up or taking action that would result in a rush to judgement of Mr. Fortson or our deputy. While it might be difficult to see, there are many questions the investigation must answer before we can determine whether the officer’s actions were justified.”
Aden said he “told Mr. Fortson’s family this afternoon that they have my word: if this shooting is found to be unjustified, their son’s name will be fully vindicated, and justice will be served.”
The sheriff declined to answer questions from the media following the brief conference. He referred questions to the FDLE.
While at Hurlburt, Fortson was assigned to the 73rd Special Operations Squadron and 4th SOS as a special missions aviator, according to a new release issued today by the 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs Office.
Fortson’s decorations include an Air Force Achievement Medal and Air Medal with a ‘C’ Device. The ‘C’ Device indicates service or achievement performed under combat conditions. He was deployed to Southwest Asia in mid-2023 for which he earned the Air Medal, according to the news release.
“The 1st Special Operations Wing’s focus remains on supporting Senior Airman Fortson’s family, providing necessary resources to the squadron and those impacted by this incident, and maintaining professionalism and respect at Hurlburt Field,” officials said in the news release.