Jury acquits fired Florida sheriff’s deputy in killing of Black US Airforce Airman Roger Fortson
The jury said prosecutors did not prove manslaughter beyond a reasonable doubt after body camera video showed Duran shoot Fortson five times.
- On Thursday, an Okaloosa County jury acquitted former Sheriff's Deputy Eddie Duran after approximately two hours of deliberation in the May 2024 fatal shooting of 23-year-old Senior Airman Roger Fortson.
- Duran responded to what was later determined to be a false domestic disturbance call at Fortson's Fort Walton Beach apartment on May 3, 2024, based on an unverified neighbor complaint.
- Fortson's girlfriend Tytiana Hendricks testified Tuesday that Fortson looked through the peephole but saw no one as aggressive knocking intensified, then said he would retrieve his gun; seconds later, gunshots erupted as body camera footage showed his legally registered handgun pointed downward.
- Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said the criminal acquittal is a devastating blow, but Fortson's family will pursue their federal civil rights lawsuit, while the State Attorney's office acknowledged the verdict will cause pain and disappointment for many in the community.
- Fortson's family filed their federal civil rights lawsuit in May 2025 against Sheriff Eric Aden and Duran, as his killing renewed scrutiny of Stand Your Ground laws; criminal charges against on-duty Florida officers are rare, occurring only four times in the 35 years before Fortson's death.
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Roger Fortson’s Family Vows To Keep Fighting After Former Florida Deputy Eddie Duran Acquitted In Airman’s Killing
The family of Senior Airman Roger Fortson is continuing its fight for accountability after a Florida jury acquitted the former sheriff’s deputy who fatally shot the 23-year-old within seconds of him opening his apartment door while holding a legally owned gun pointed toward the floor. According to NewsOne, former Okaloosa County sheriff’s deputy Eddie Duran […]
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Florida Cop Who Killed Airman Roger Fortson Found Not Guilty Of Manslaughter
Eddie Duran was acquitted by a jury on Thursday, after his attorney argued that police officers aren't trained to wait until a gun is pointed at them before they shoot.
Lawyer demands 'accountability' after ex-deputy who shot Black airman ...
Jury Acquits Former Florida Sheriff’s Deputy in Killing of US Airforce Airman Roger Fortson
Chantemekki Fortson, mother of slain U.S. Air Force senior airman Roger Fortson, holds a photo of her son during a news conference with attorney Ben Crump in Atlanta on June 3, 2024. (Brynn Anderson/AP Photo)
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