Senior Airman Roger Fortson, a 23-year-old active-duty Senior Airman, was fatally shot by a Florida Sheriff’s Deputy after police entered the wrong apartment this month. Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump has been retained by the family of Roger Fortson.
Fortson enlisted in the military after graduating from high school with honors and had no criminal record. By all accounts, he was a stellar member of the Air Force and loved by his community.
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, according to Attorney Crump.
When police 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.
He was later taken to the hospital where he died. Few details have been provided by law enforcement, according to Crump.
“There is no question that the officer acted with impulse and a lack of proper training when he shot and killed Roger within seconds of the door opening,” Attorney Ben Crump said. “When he opened his door and saw the sheriff’s deputy, Roger had his gun pointed to the ground with one hand and held his other hand up to signal he was not going to shoot. Only after Roger’s body was riddled with bullets did the officer instruct Roger to drop his gun. Even after he was shot, he intended to comply with the officer’s commands to drop his weapon saying with his final breaths, “It’s over there. I don’t have it.”
Roger enlisted in the military after graduating from high school with honors and had no criminal record. By all accounts, he was a stellar member of the Air Force and loved by his community.
“Roger was a special operations serviceman who just returned from Kuwait,” Attorney Crump added. “It is a harrowing tragedy that Roger dedicated his life to serving his country and defending our constitutional rights and in the end, his constitutional rights were violated, leading to his death.”
“The second amendment afforded Roger the right to own a gun and yield it as protection when he was unsure who was on the other side of his door. It is clear that this officer needs to be investigated and held accountable for the execution of Roger. We will not rest until there is justice for Roger and his family.”
Roger Fortson’s funeral was Friday in Atlanta, Georgia.
“We demand justice for Roger Fortson,” Attorney Crump said. “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.”
The Libertarian Party of Florida expressed outrage and profound grief over the senseless killing of Senior Airman Roger Fortson in his own home by Okaloosa County Sheriff deputies. The LPF is demanding justice for Senior Airman Roger Fortson.
