Police Who Shot Florida Airman 6 Times in His Home May Have Entered Wrong Apartment

A young U.S. Air Force airman was fatally shot by deputies who allegedly entered the wrong apartment in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The airman, identified as Senior Airman Roger Fortson, aged 23, was stationed at the Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field.

The incident occurred on May 3, when deputies from the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office were responding to a disturbance call at an apartment complex. According to Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney representing Fortson's family, the deputies mistakenly burst into Fortson's apartment instead of the correct unit.

At the time of the shooting, Fortson was reportedly on a Facetime call with a woman, who witnessed the event unfold. The woman, whose identity has not been disclosed, recounted that Fortson had heard a knock at the door and asked who it was but received no response. Moments later, after a louder knock, Fortson, concerned for his safety, retrieved his legally owned firearm. As he walked back through his living room, deputies entered the apartment and, upon seeing him armed, shot him six times.

The woman reported that after being shot, Fortson was on the ground uttering, "I can't breathe," a statement that has become symbolically significant in discussions about police use of force. Fortson later succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office initially stated that the deputy involved had acted in self-defense after encountering an armed man. However, this account has been strongly disputed by Crump and Fortson's family, who argue that Fortson was not causing any disturbance and that the deputies had entered the wrong apartment.

The sheriff's office has placed the deputy involved on administrative leave pending an investigation, which is being conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the local State Attorney's Office. The family's attorney has called for the release of body cam footage to ensure transparency in the investigation process.

Senior Airman Roger Fortson was a member of the 4th Special Operations Squadron, where he served as a special missions aviator. His responsibilities included loading the AC-130J Ghostrider gunship's cannons during missions. Fortson, who joined the Air Force on November 19, 2019, was described as a dedicated serviceman who graduated from high school with honors and had no criminal record.

The incident has raised serious questions about the protocols followed by law enforcement when responding to disturbance calls, particularly in residential areas. It also highlights ongoing concerns regarding the safety of Black individuals during police interactions. This shooting adds to a list of similar cases that have resulted in nationwide protests