Fortson Family Attorney Demands Charges For Former Okaloosa Deputy Who Shot and Killed Hurlburt Airman

The family of the airman shot and killed by an Okaloosa Sheriff’s deputy in May has called for State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden to charge the deputy following the release of an FDLE report into the shooting.

Ben Crump, the man who has represented victims of police violence across the country, including George Floyd and Briana Grier, began to advocate for the Fortson family in the immediate aftermath of the shooting of Senior Airman Roger Fortson, 23, of Atlanta.

“Roger Fortson was shot and killed nearly three months ago, but his family and the community are still waiting for full justice. Now that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has finished its investigation and turned it over to the State Attorney’s Office for a charging decision, it is past time for State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden to act by filing charges against and prosecuting former Deputy Duran,” Crump said in a news release, “The actions of Deputy Duran were not just negligent, they were criminal. Roger Fortson, a dedicated airman, was tragically taken from his loved ones while holding a legally owned firearm pointed at the ground, posing no threat to anyone. The body camera footage and internal affairs investigation clearly demonstrate that the deputy’s use of deadly force was neither necessary nor justified.”

The FDLE investigates all shootings that involve law enforcement officers in the state of Florida. They turn over their findings to the State Attorney who has jurisdiction over the case for the next step, which would be deciding whether or not to prosecute a case.

“It is imperative that law enforcement officers who abuse their power are held responsible – how else can we expect to prevent future tragedies and rebuild trust within our communities,” Crump concluded.

Mid Bay News has reached out to the Office of the State Attorney and awaits a response. When the state attorney provides comment, we will update the story.

This is a developing story – we will update this story as we get more information.