Former sheriff’s deputy charged with manslaughter for shooting airmen in his home

AmmoLand ^ | September 3, 2024 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

On May 3, 2024, a Florida Okaloosa County Sheriff Deputy shot and killed Senior Airman Roger Fortson. The deputy, Eddie Duran, was responding to a false, anonymous tip about supposed domestic violence in an apartment complex.

Fortson was playing with his dog and on the phone with his girlfriend. When Roger Fortson realized someone was insistently knocking on the door and demanding entry, he accessed his legally owned pistol, and with the pistol held by his side, pointed at the floor, opened the door.

The deputy immediately shot Fortson several times, then demanded Fortson “drop the gun”. Fortson’s pistol was already on the floor. Fortson was on the floor, mortally wounded, dying.

After an internal investigation by the Sheriff’s Department, Fortson was fired. The Sheriff’s Office did not file criminal charges as the incident was being criminally investigated by an independent agency, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. AmmoLand covered the tragic incident four months ago.

Former deputy Eddie Duran has been charged with manslaughter. He has been arrested. He is currently out on a bond of $100,000.

This horrible tragedy underscores how critical it is to be aware and make the right decisions when a person is considering using deadly force. Duran made some very bad decisions. It cost Roger Fortson his life. His family and others near him will live with the pain of his loss for a very long time. His mother made this statement after former deputy Duran was charged. From wfla.com:

“I hope this brings about change and it teaches others that you can’t just kill people,” his mother Chantemekki Fortson said Friday after learning of the charges. “Because he should have waited for back up. And investigated a little more.”

[roving]

It was a neighbor who was listening through an vent. The person mistook what was going on wrong. The man was talking to his dog and his girlfriend on the phone.

[going hot]

nice door!

Consider a hide-a-key for those situations where you need to let someone in when you are not there.

[NorthMountain]

I did say “probably” ... ;’}

[BlueLancer]

Have done so ... when my daughter moved on the property in her RV, she was given a key to the doors. Now that I’ve retired and my wife is an invalid, I’m pretty much at home with her all of the time now anyway.

[TexasKamaAina]

The original reports on this incident said that the officer had stationed himself off to the side and was not able to be seen through the peephole.

[curious7]

Criminals have been known to dress as police officers and even claim they were indeed the police, in order to rob/kill people.

[NorthMountain]

And some time the criminals actually ARE police officers and use their office as an opportunity to kill people.

[curious7]

That, too.

[egfowler3]

I want to know WHO made the “SWAT” call on Fortson!

They need to find that person and charge him/her with 1st degree murder.

[NFHale]

Re “…false, anonymous tip”:

Sounds like someone had it in for the victim…

[mabarker1]

I also installed 3'x 5' plate of 1" steel onto the 2x4 studs beneath the window and behind the sink for a place to duck.

Nice !!! I've thought about doing just that except a much larger area.

[meyer]

Poorly written headline, but yeah, this is not kosher.
Circumstances created a situation that wasn’t really good for anybody, but there is no law against answering your door with a firearm in hand.

[AlaskaErik]

As soon as I saw the video back when this happened I knew it was a bad shooting. That deputy must have had a severe itch in his trigger finger. There was absolutely no justification for his actions.

[metmom]

The death penalty for cold blooded murder should be for ALL who do it.

LEO’s should not be exempt.

[metmom]

This builds a case for security cameras on your property.

[Theoria]

Ya, go watch Jumpin’ Jack Flash from the 80’s. Whoopi was the lead, but she did a great job on her front door. Hah. First movie I remember thinking, cool, prep the front door.

[from occupied ga]

Should have been charged with murder.

[from occupied ga]

how much did your plate of steel weigh?

[BlueLancer]

As I recall, it was right between 95 and 100 pounds.

[from occupied ga]

I wondered about that I would have thought it would have weighed more like 500 lb