A Florida sheriff’s office has released body camera footage of the moments surrounding the fatal police shooting of a Black U.S. Air Force airman, per NBC News.
Senior Airman Roger Fortson, 23, was fatally shot last week at his off-base apartment by an Okaloosa County deputy who was responding to a disturbance report, according to the sheriff’s office.
The family of Fortson and their attorneys say the shooting was unjustified, citing that the airman wasn’t causing a disturbance. A woman who was on Facetime with Fortson at the time of the shooting said he was home alone. She believes the deputy entered the wrong apartment as police were responding to a disturbance.
Body camera footage released on Thursday (May 9) by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office shows Fortson being shot within seconds of the deputy entering his apartment.
In the video, the deputy was directed to apartment 1401 by a woman who told him that someone had overheard arguing. The deputy appeared to knock on the door of the apartment, saying twice “Sheriff’s office. Open the door.”
Fortson opened the door while holding a gun that was facing downward. Video shows the deputy saying “Step back” before opening fire multiple times. After Fortson fell to the ground, the deputy ordered him to “drop the gun” to which Fortson replied, “It’s over there.”
The deputy then called for medical assistance.
In a statement, the sheriff’s office said, “Our deputy responded to a call of a disturbance in progress where he encountered an armed man. The deputy shot the man, who later succumbed to his injuries.”
At a news conference, Sheriff Eric Aden maintained that the deputy didn’t enter the wrong apartment or force himself into Fortson’s apartment. Aden noted that no determination had been made as to whether the deputy’s actions were justified.
“I want to assure you that we are not hiding or covering up or taking action that would result in a rush to judgment of Mr. Fortson or our deputy,” Aden said.
Following the video’s release, Forston’s family said in a statement, “In the four-and-a-half minute, heavily redacted video, it is very troubling that the deputy gave no verbal commands and shot multiple times within a split second of the door being opened, killing Roger.”
The woman who was on Facetime with Fortson said he had initially heard a knock and asked who was at the door, to which he didn’t receive a response. Later, the woman said Fortson heard a louder knock, but he didn’t see anyone in the peephole of his apartment.
The woman said Fortson grew concerned and retrieved his gun, which he legally owned. While in his living room, the deputy burst through Fortson’s apartment door, saw that he was armed, and shot him six times, according to the woman.
During a news conference, Aden said the officer identified himself twice.
The deputy is currently on administrative leave as multiple state agencies investigate the incident.
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