Trial begins for former Florida deputy charged in fatal shooting of Airman Roger Fortson
Opening statements for the trial of a former Florida county sheriff deputy in connection with the 2024 shooting death of a U.S. Air Force airman in his own home began on Tuesday.
Sr. Airman Roger Fortson was in his home in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, on May 3, 2024, when Eddie Duran responded to the apartment for a call reporting a domestic disturbance, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office. Fortson was alone in the apartment at the time, police said.
Fortson, 23, was shot and killed by Duran after answering the door of his apartment while holding a legally owned handgun after Duran was dispatched for a domestic disturbance. The shooting sparked national attention, and the deputy was later fired and charged with manslaughter.
Duran, 38, was arrested in August 2024 after the Florida state attorney filed one count of manslaughter with a firearm against him. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 years.
In opening statements at the Okaloosa County Circuit Court, Mark Alderman, the assistant state attorney who is prosecuting the case, said that Fortson did not know a deputy was at the door when he opened it, and he only had a gun in his hand because he was afraid for his safety.
"The evidence will show you that although Eddie Duran did not know Roger was by himself, he knew or should have known, that his actions made it difficult or impossible for the person inside to know that a police officer was at his door," the prosecutor said. "He [Fortson] simply opened his own front door with a gun by his side, in case he needed it. The evidence will show the shooting was not justified."
Rod Smith, the defense attorney, said during his opening statement that Fortson knew that law enforcement was knocking and still chose to bring a firearm when he opened the door.
"You're going to find that after that first knock, when he didn't identify himself, he (Duran) hears something at the door, and what he hears is two words," Smith said. "He can't hear it well. He hears 'f--k' and 'police'. Now this is before he has even announced himself as a deputy sheriff."
In body-worn camera footage released by the sheriff's office, Fortson is seen holding a gun in his right hand with his arm extended downward and the muzzle pointing at the floor as he opens the door in response to the deputy, who can be heard yelling and banging at Fortson's front door, announcing twice that he's with the sheriff's office.
The footage, reviewed by ABC News, also shows Fortson had his left hand up, palm showing, gesturing towards the deputy when he opened the door. Duran shot Fortson within seconds of the door opening, according to the footage. Fortson died of his injuries.
The deputy said he saw Fortson armed with a gun and claimed that Fortson took a step toward him and had a look of aggression in his eyes, according to an interview Duran conducted with the sheriff's office during their subsequent investigation.
Duran was terminated later that month, according to a May 31 sheriff's department statement obtained by ABC News.
Fortson's girlfriend, who asked not to be identified due to fears for her safety, spoke that May to Atlanta ABC affiliate WSB-TV, telling the station her and Fortson were having a conversation on the phone when the shooting occurred.
A sweep of the home did not find another person in the apartment besides Fortson, police said. In the body camera video, a woman, presumed to be a building manager, explains to the officer that someone in the building notified her of the disturbance and that she called police.
ABC News' Sabina Ghebremedhin contributed to this report.
