Sherrif: Florida Deputy Announced Himself Before Shooting Airman

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Roger Fortson, 23, was assigned to the 4th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field. Credit: U.S. Air Force

OKALOOSA COUNTY, Florida - Bodycam footage released by the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office refutes an allegation made earlier today by civil rights attorney Ben Crump that Florida deputies who responded to an apartment complex for a disturbance burst into the wrong apartment and did not identify themselves before shooting an airman who died from his wounds.

Crump, who represents the family of the airman, 23-year-old Roger Forston, says that a witness was on Facetime with Forston during the entire encounter and that Forston was alone in his apartment when he heard a knock at the door. 

According to Crump's witness, Forston asked, “Who is it?” but didn’t get a response. A few minutes later, there was a very aggressive knock on the door, but Forston didn’t see anyone when he looked out the peephole. 

"Concerned, he did what any other law-abiding citizen would do and retrieved his legally-owned gun, but as he was walking back to the living room, police burst through the door. When they saw the gun, they shot Roger six times," Crump said in a release.

The witness said that she saw Forston on the ground stating, “I can’t breathe,” after he was shot. She has also said the police were in the wrong apartment because there was no disturbance in the apartment and he was alone.

Forston was later taken to the hospital where he died. 

"Roger enlisted in the military after graduating from high school with honors and had no criminal record. By all accounts, he was a stellar member of the Air Force and loved by his community," Crump said.

Credit: Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office

According to the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, a deputy responded to 319 Racetrack Road around 4:30 p.m. for a call of a disturbance in progress. Hearing sounds of a disturbance, the deputy reacted in self defense after he encountered Fortson armed with a gun and after the deputy had identified himself as law enforcement.  

"I immediately placed the deputy on administrative leave and have asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to conduct the investigation that is required in such incidents. The State Attorney’s Office will also conduct an independent review," said Okalloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden.

"At this time, we humbly ask for our community’s patience as we work to understand the facts that resulted in this tragic event."

This is the second high-profile and controversial deputy-involved shooting for the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office this year.

In February 2024, an Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office deputy resigned for opening fire after mistaking the sound of an acorn falling on the roof of his patrol car as gunfire.