In a shocking turn of events, bodycam footage has surfaced showing a Florida cop fatally shooting airman Roger Fortson in his own home with no warning. The footage, which has since gone viral, captured the horrific moment when Fortson was gunned down by the officer.
The aftermath of the shooting is chaotic, with Fortson’s family screaming in anguish and the officer struggling to justify his actions. It is clear from the footage that Fortson’s death was unjustified and completely unnecessary.
As the video continues to circulate on social media, many are calling for justice for Fortson and his family. The officer responsible for his death must be held accountable for his actions and face the consequences of his deadly mistake.
The unidentified deputy was responding to the Chez Elan Apartments in Fort Walton Beach on May 3 on a domestic violence call — a woman said she heard arguing from a frequently troubled couple in a nearby apartment.
Roger Fortson’s family said the deputy barged into the wrong apartment — and that the 23-year-old had armed himself with his own legal handgun in response to suspicious knocks at his door.
After knocking, the cop — who was apparently alone by the time he reached the front door — yelled, “Sheriff’s Office! Open the door!”
When Fortson, an active-duty senior airman with the US Air Force, opened up, the deputy immediately raised his pistol and let off six shots, striking Fortson and causing him to fall to the floor.
“Drop the gun! Drop the gun!” the deputy yelled after he opened fire, according to the bodycam footage.
“It’s over there!” the mortally wounded Forston replied. “I don’t have it!”
The officer called for backup just as the clip released by the Okaloosa County sheriff fades to black.
Famed civil rights attorney Ben Crump said at a Thursday press conference that Forston — who later died from his wounds — didn’t know it was sheriff’s deputies outside.
“For whatever reason, they thought he was a bad guy, but he was a good guy,” Crump said, as he stood beside Fortson’s heartbroken family.
“He was a great guy. He was an exceptional guy. They took a patriot from us.”
Fortson’s bereaved mom, Chantemekki Fortson, held a framed portrait of her late son clad in his dress uniform as she walked into the media event.
She erupted in tears as Crump spoke about Roger, a special missions aviator based at the Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field in the Florida Panhandle.
“My baby was shot up,” she said.
Fortson was talking to his girlfriend on FaceTime when the deputy barged in his door and killed him, Crump said.
The girlfriend told his mom about witnessing Fortson being shot, and Chantemekki drove to Fort Walton Beach — only to find out it was too late.
“You guys have killed my baby,” Chantemekki said she told cops at the hospital. “Just take me to my baby, please. I just want to see my child.”
“They had taken my gift,” she said.
“My heart is bleeding, and they wanted to talk to me. They told me the investigation was ongoing.”
In a country where police brutality is all too common, incidents like these serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for police reform. No one should have to fear for their lives in their own home, especially at the hands of those sworn to protect and serve.
The senseless killing of Roger Fortson is a tragedy that should never have happened. As we mourn his loss, let us also demand justice and accountability for those responsible for his death.
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