Mother of airman killed by Florida deputy says his shot alone won't be enough

ATLANTA — The mother of an Air Force airman who was shot and killed in the doorway of his home by a Florida sheriff's deputy said Monday that the deputy's shooting did not do justice to the killing of his son.

Chantemekki Fortson spoke at a news conference in Atlanta, accompanied by her attorney, Ben Crump, who said the firing of Okaloosa County Deputy Eddie Duran was a “step forward” but that Duran should also be charged with the murder of Senior Airman Roger Fortson.

Sheriff Eric Aden fired Duran on Friday, about a month after he fatally shot Roger Fortson while responding to a domestic violence call and being directed to Fortson's apartment.

In addition to saying Duran's firing isn't enough, Chantemekki Fortson said it should have happened much sooner.

“Let’s be clear, this is not justice,” she said of the firing. “You're the one who thinks you're throwing me a bone and I'm okay with that. I'm not okay with that. I'm not okay with that. he.”

Duran shot Fortson, 23, multiple times on May 3, two seconds after he opened his door while legally holding a handgun pointed downward, the police's body camera footage shows. deputy. Fortson was black. Duran, 39, is Hispanic.

A sheriff's internal affairs investigation released Friday concluded that “Mr. Fortson did not make any hostile attack moves and therefore the former deputy's use of deadly force was not objectively reasonable.” Outside law enforcement experts have also said a police officer cannot shoot just because a potential suspect is holding a gun if there is no threat.

Duran did not respond to repeated voicemails left at a number listed as his. His attorney, John Whitaker, also did not respond to repeated phone messages seeking comment.

According to the internal affairs report, Duran told investigators that when Fortson opened the door, he saw aggression in the airman's eyes. He said he shot because: “I'm standing there thinking I'm about to get shot, I'm about to die.” »

“It’s him or me at this point and I have to, I have to act rather than react,” he told investigators.

Duran's personnel records released by the sheriff's office show that four days before the shooting, he requested a change from full-time to part-time duty due to unspecified “family difficulties.”

He returned to the sheriff's office 11 months before the shooting. He previously worked there from 2019 to 2021 and left the facility because his wife, a registered nurse, was transferred to a naval hospital in another region.

Fortson was assigned to the 4th Special Operations Squadron at nearby Hurlburt Field as a special missions Airman serving on an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship.

Duran had been sent to the Fortson apartment complex after a manager reported a domestic disturbance. The manager directed Duran to Fortson's fourth-floor unit, even though he lived alone and had no guests that afternoon. He was playing a video game while chatting with his girlfriend on a video call when the deputy knocked. She told investigators that she and Fortson did not argue.

When Duran arrived at Fortson's door, he was silent for 20 seconds and listened, but no voices inside are heard on his body camera.

He knocked on the door but did not identify himself, then moved to the side of the door, about 1.5 meters away. He told investigators he feared the person inside would shoot through the door or open the door and push him over the rail and to the ground about 40 feet (12 meters) below .

He waited 15 seconds before knocking on the door again. This time he shouted, “Sheriff’s Office, open the door!” He moved to the side again. A muffled voice can be heard on the video – Duran said he heard someone cursing at the police.

Less than 10 seconds later, Duran backed up to the door and knocked again, announcing himself once more.

Fortson's girlfriend told investigators the airman asked who was there but didn't get an answer. She said Fortson told her he wasn't going to open the door because no one was coming to his apartment. She said none of them heard the deputy yell that he was at the sheriff's office.

After the third shot, she said Fortson told her, “I'm going to go get my gun because I don't know who it is.” »

When Fortson opened the door while holding his gun pointed at the ground, Duran said, “Step back,” then immediately began shooting. Fortson fell backwards to the ground.

Only then did the deputy shout, “Drop the gun!”

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Spencer reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.