Florida sheriff deputies burst into wrong apartment and fatally shot U.S. airman, attorney says [View all]

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A Florida deputy fatally shot a Black Air Force airman last week after forcibly entering the wrong apartment, his family’s attorney alleged in a news release, citing information from a witness.

The witness — who was on FaceTime with Senior Airman Roger Fortson during the incident — said Fortson, 23, was alone in his apartment when the authorities entered, according to the statement released Wednesday by attorney Ben Crump’s office.

Fortson heard a knock at the door and asked who was there, but did not receive a reply, the witness said. After another “very aggressive knock,” Fortson looked out the peephole and could not see anyone. He was concerned, the statement said, and retrieved a gun, which he owned legally.

As Fortson returned to the living room with the gun, the authorities allegedly burst through the door and shot him six times. The witness recalled Fortson saying “I can’t breathe” after he was shot. He died at the hospital.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement released Tuesday that a deputy was responding to a “call of a disturbance in progress” when he “encountered an armed man,” whom the deputy shot.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/deputy-fatally-shot-black-airman-after-entering-wrong-apartment-lawyer-says/ar-BB1m4W1T

Deputies responding to a disturbance call at a Florida apartment complex burst into the wrong unit and fatally shot a Black U.S. Air Force airman who was home alone when they saw he was armed with a gun, an attorney for the man's family said Wednesday.

Senior Airman Roger Fortson, 23, who was based at the Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, was at his home at Chez Elan Apartments, around five miles from the air base, when he was killed.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said in a statement that Fortson was on a Facetime call with a woman at the time of the encounter.

According to Crump, the woman, whom Crump didn't identify, said Fortson was alone in his apartment when he heard a knock at the door. He asked who was there but didn't get a response. A few minutes later, there was a very aggressive knock on the door, Crump said in a statement, but Fortson didn't see anyone when he looked out the peephole.

The woman said Fortson was concerned and went to retrieve his gun, which Crump said was legally owned.

As Fortson walked back through his living room, deputies burst through the door, saw that Fortson was armed and shot him six times, according to Crump's statement. Fortson was on the ground, saying, "I can't breathe," after he was shot, Crump said.

Fortson died at a hospital, officials said. The deputy involved in the shooting was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/roger-fortson-airman-killed-deputy-wrong-apartment-florida/