Former Florida Deputy Charged With Manslaughter In Killing Of Black Airman Roger Fortson

Eddie Duran could spend up to 30 years in prison if found guilty.

Eddie Duran, the former Okaloosa County sheriff’s deputy who shot and killed U.S. Airman Roger Fortson in May, has been charged with manslaughter, according to Florida authorities.

According to NPR, Duran will be charged with one count of manslaughter with a firearm.

Gregory Marcille, the assistant state attorney for Okaloosa County, told the outlet that that particular charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. However, the Okaloosa County State Attorney’s Office declined to make any additional comments due to the nature of the ongoing investigation.

Ginger Brown Madden, the Okaloosa County State Attorney, also told NPR that there is an outstanding warrant for Duran’s arrest.

Benjamin Crump, who is one of the lawyers representing Fortson’s family, said in a statement that the manslaughter charge represents a step toward “real justice” for Fortson’s family.

“Nothing can ever bring Roger back, and our fight is far from over, but we are hopeful that this arrest and these charges will result in real justice for the Fortson family,” Crump said.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Department issued its own statement, declaring that it has been “accountable and transparent” during its discussions with Fortson’s family and counsel and their communications with the U.S. Air Force.

“The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) has been fully accountable and transparent in its compliance with statutory requirements, providing numerous public statements, making accessible the available body-worn camera footage and other related records, meeting with Mr. Fortson’s family and legal counsel, and communicating openly with the U.S. Air Force and our community-at-large.”

As BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported, Fortson was allegedly shot and killed by Duran when Duran responded to a call about a disturbance at Fortson’s apartment. However, when Duran approached his door, Fortson was alone and on FaceTime with his girlfriend.

According to NPR, bodycam footage shows Duran announcing himself as law enforcement after knocking on his door, and Fortson appears holding a gun to the ground on the other side of the door. Duran fired several shots into Fortson, who later died at a hospital.

According to Brian Barr, another of the Fortson family’s lawyers, the call Duran was sent to respond to did not correspond to Fortson’s apartment and Crump said in May that Duran was not even supposed to come into Fortson’s apartment.

Originally, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Department went with Duran’s self-defense claim, but after an internal investigation concluded that Duran’s use of deadly force was “not objectively reasonable and therefore violated agency policy,” Duran was fired.

Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden released a statement following the firing of Duran saying that the killing of Fortson should never have happened.

“This tragic incident should have never occurred,” Aden said. “The objective facts do not support the use of deadly force as an appropriate response to Mr. Fortson’s actions. Mr. Fortson did not commit any crime. By all accounts, he was an exceptional airman and individual.”