A former sheriff’s deputy from Florida has been charged with the fatal shooting of a Black U.S. Air Force senior airman. This incident occurred when the airman, Roger Fortson, answered his apartment door while holding a gun at his side, pointed toward the ground. Eddie Duran, 38, was arrested on Monday, according to officials.
On May 3, Duran shot and killed 23-year-old Fortson, and now faces manslaughter charges related to the use of a firearm. This charge, announced by Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille on Friday, is categorized as a first-degree felony, which could lead to a prison sentence of up to 30 years.
Duran was processed and booked into the county jail on Monday. Marcille confirmed this arrest to The Associated Press, stating, “He did, in fact, turn himself in.” Duran is set to make his initial court appearance via video link on Tuesday morning and will remain in custody until then.
AP correspondent Lisa Dwyer reports that authorities have arrested an ex-sheriff’s deputy who fatally shot a Black airman.
An attorney representing Duran did not respond immediately to requests for comment via email.
According to authorities, Duran had responded to a report of a domestic disturbance at Fortson’s apartment in Fort Walton Beach. However, this report turned out to be unfounded. After knocking several times, Fortson opened the door, holding his handgun pointed down at his side. Duran then shot him multiple times and only instructed him to drop his weapon afterward.
On the day the charges were announced, loved ones honored Fortson’s memory by placing candles and framed photos of him in uniform at the entrance to the apartment where he was killed.
In an internal investigation report, Duran told investigators that when Fortson opened the door, he perceived aggression in the airman’s demeanor. Duran stated he fired his weapon, believing his own life was in danger, saying, “I’m about to get shot, I’m about to die.”
Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden made the decision to terminate Duran’s employment on May 31 after reviewing the internal investigation, which concluded that Duran’s life was not in danger when he opened fire. Experts from outside law enforcement have also indicated that officers cannot use deadly force simply because someone is holding a gun, unless there is a clear threat present.
Duran has a background in law enforcement, beginning his career as a military police officer in the Army. He joined the Okaloosa County sheriff’s office in July 2019, but resigned two years later when his wife received a job transfer. He returned to the sheriff’s office in June 2023.
Personnel records show Duran faced reprimands in 2021 for failing to complete important assignments, including checking in on registered sex offenders. He was also disciplined for leaving the school where he was assigned as a deputy before the final bell rang, which is against Florida law requiring an armed guard to stay on campus while classes are in session.
Records indicate that Fortson’s apartment had never previously been the subject of 911 calls, but emergency services had responded to nearby units ten times over the past eight months, including once for a domestic disturbance.
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Reported by Anderson from St. Petersburg, Florida, and Martin from Atlanta.
