Roger Fortson's family demands charges against sheriff's deputy who killed him

The family of Roger Fortson, a 23-year-old U.S. airman who was shot and killed by a Florida sheriff’s deputy in May, is demanding that charges be filed against the law enforcement officer. The deputy, who has since been fired, shot Fortson six times.

In a news conference in Florida on Friday, Ben Crump, one of the attorneys representing the Fortson family, said that while shooting investigations take time, the family is concerned about how long the investigation has taken, given that the incident was captured on body camera video.

"Just watch the video. It’s on video, y’all. It ain’t no mystery what happened … what is so hard about this investigation?" Crump said.

Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden said following the shooting that Duran reacted in self-defense after encountering an "armed man." An investigation led by Florida's Department of Law Enforcement is ongoing, and the state attorney's office will determine if further action is taken.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Department announced on May 31 that Duran was fired following the completion of a internal affairs investigation.

The investigation concluded that Duran's use of deadly force was "not objectively reasonable and therefore violated agency policy." In its release, the sheriff’s office said the investigation was “limited in scope” to determine whether Duran violated the agency’s policy.

https://www.nepm.org/national-world-news/2024-08-16/roger-fortsons-family-demands-charges-against-sheriffs-deputy-who-killed-him