Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden stated, “This tragic incident should have never occurred.” The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office announced on Friday that a Florida sheriff’s deputy who fatally shot an active-duty airman in his Fort Walton Beach home last month has been fired after an investigation found that the use of deadly force violated agency policy.
The investigation determined that Deputy Eddie Duran’s use of deadly force against Air Force Senior Airman Roger Fortson was not objectively reasonable and thus violated agency policy. The sheriff’s office stated that Mr. Fortson did not make any hostile, attacking movements, making the former deputy’s use of deadly force not objectively reasonable under OSCO’s policy.
The administrative investigation revealed that the deputy was dispatched to an in-progress physical disturbance at an apartment complex shortly before the shooting, which occurred around 4:30 p.m. on May 3. Body-worn footage showed that the deputy went to the wrong home where Mr. Fortson was alone and on FaceTime with his girlfriend.
Upon arriving at the apartment complex, the deputy confirmed the unit number with an employee and mentioned prior unreported disturbances. When the deputy knocked on the door of Unit 1401, Mr. Fortson was seen holding a legally purchased firearm pointed at the floor. Despite not physically resisting or pointing the gun at the deputy, Mr. Fortson was shot after being told to “step back.”
After the shooting, Mr. Fortson was found to be unarmed and was transported to a nearby hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. Sheriff Aden stated that the use of deadly force was not an appropriate response to Mr. Fortson’s actions, emphasizing that he did not commit any crime and was an exceptional airman and individual.
Mr. Fortson, who was with the 4th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Florida, had been an airman for three years at the time of the incident. His family demanded justice for his death and emphasized his positive character. The administrative investigation was separate from the ongoing criminal investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
“I see his eyes, I look down, I see his hands, and of course, that’s when I see the gun,” the deputy said.
“Uh, immediately I thought, I am stuck in this area, and I’m about to get shot,” he added when asked a follow-up question.
In a statement issued by the airman’s family on May 10, concerns were raised about the deputy’s actions and training to respond to “law-abiding citizens who are registered gun owners.”
Mr. Duran was first employed by the sheriff’s office in July 2019, resigning in 2021 before returning to the service in 2023 after completing a bachelor’s degree in criminal psychology. According to the investigation report, he completed a Response to Resistance training last summer, making him current on the training. The deputy was current in his firearm qualifications and, among other things, was trained to respond to domestic violence complaints.
Mr. Duran served in the military for over a decade, including a combat deployment in Iraq in 2008. During his service, he was a military police officer and received training through the Army’s Special Reaction Team. He was honorably discharged. He is studying for a master’s degree in human service counseling with a focus on crisis response and trauma.
