In a decisive move, Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden discharged Deputy Eddie Duran following an incident where the officer fatally shot Senior Airman Roger Fortson at his residence on May 3rd. Fortson, an Atlanta native, was handling his legally owned handgun, which was pointed toward the ground, when he was killed within seconds of opening the door to Duran, as confirmed by body camera footage. The 23-year-old African-American airman’s death under such conditions has sparked considerable outcry and a call for broader accountability.
The firing comes after an internal affairs investigation found Duran was not under immediate threat, undermining his argument to have made a split-second, life-or-death decision. The report released last Friday sharply criticized Duran's actions, stating, “Mr. Fortson did not make any hostile, attacking movements,” and deemed the deputy's use of deadly force as "not objectively reasonable." These findings were in line with outside law enforcement experts who assert that an officer should only shoot if an actual threat is apparent, not merely the presence of a weapon.
As reported by WABE, Duran did not respond to a voicemail left at a number listed for him, and attempts to reach his attorney, John Whitaker, for comment were not immediately returned. Duran’s account to investigators contradicted the video evidence. He claimed to have seen "aggression in the airman’s eyes" and believed he was on the verge of being shot. "It is him or me at this point and I need to, I need to act as opposed to react,” Duran explained to investigators.
While the sheriff's office continues to grapple with the fallout, the Fortson family's attorney, Ben Crump noted Duran's termination as progress but insisted that it falls short of what he considers full justice. "The actions of this deputy were not just negligent, they were criminal,” Crump contended in a statement.
Sabu Williams, president of the local NAACP chapter, acknowledged the sheriff’s response as a step in the right direction but implied that this should not be the conclusion of the matter. Williams, in a conversation with WABE, spoke of the Organization's positive rapport with the Republican sheriff, saying, “Some of us may have wanted things to happen a lot quicker, but I know due diligence has to take place."
The incident rattled the community, especially the Elan Apartments complex, mere miles from Hurlburt Field, where Fortson served honorably as a special missions aviator. Dispatched to Fortson's apartment over noise complaints, Duran had no prior encounters with that address, though nearby units had seen sheriff's interventions multiple times. The unraveling of this case continues as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement pursues its ongoing criminal investigation.
