Florida's Okaloosa County Sheriff Department released on Thursday (May 9) bodycam footage of the shooting of a black U.S. airman by a police officer.
The family of the deceased, Roger Fortson, 23, has insisted that the deputy, who was investigating a domestic violence complaint, knocked on the wrong door on May 3.
The video shows Fortson opening the door and holding a handgun at his side and pointed down. The deputy immediately opens fire multiple times at close range. Fortson later died in the hospital.
The body-camera video records the deputy twice saying "sheriff's office, open the door." It remained unclear who called law enforcement on the day of the shooting or why.
The shooting is reminiscent of an unannounced police raid in Louisville, Kentucky, in March 2020, when police burst into the apartment of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman who was an emergency medical technician, killing her. Police had obtained a "no knock" warrant to raid the apartment, mistaking it for the home of a suspect.
ABS-CBN News
Run time: 04:19
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00:00.1
Good afternoon. I'm Eric Aiden. I'm the Sheriff of Okaloosa County.
00:05.5
A few moments ago, I personally met with Mrs. Fortson and the Fortson family,
00:10.7
extending my deepest condolences to them.
00:14.9
And this result is one we never hope to encounter,
00:19.3
and I'm also thinking about our team here and the deputy involved in the tragic event.
00:25.8
There are many questions the investigation must answer
00:28.7
before we can determine whether the officer's actions were justified.
00:32.9
Again, we are committed to the transparency and look forward to FDLE and the state attorney's report.
00:38.9
We are aware of a press release and other comments that falsely state
00:43.9
our deputy entered the wrong apartment and imply that they burst through the door
00:48.6
into Mr. Fortson's residence.
00:51.0
Those statements are inaccurate, as shown on the video that we are about to see.
00:56.9
What we do know at this time is that...
00:58.7
We know that the deputy did announce himself, not once, but twice.
01:02.9
Mr. Fortson's comments indicate that he did acknowledge it was law enforcement at the door
01:08.8
and he arrived at the door with a firearm in his hand.
01:12.5
The deputy knocked on the correct door.
01:15.9
He did not cover the peephole or otherwise obscure its view in any way.
01:20.7
I told Mr. Fortson's family this afternoon that they have my word.
01:25.5
If this shooting is found to be unjustified,
01:28.7
their son's name will be fully vindicated and justice will be served.
01:44.6
Are they fighting or something?
01:48.5
He's saying that it happens frequently, but this time it sounded like it was getting out of hand.
01:53.7
Okay, which door?
01:59.7
Two weeks ago, I was walking by their apartment, basically, on this side.
02:04.3
And I was hearing someone yell, like,
02:07.6
shoot the f*** up, like, stupid B-word and all this other stuff.
02:10.7
And I heard a slap, like, right after it.
02:12.9
But I wasn't sure where it came from.
02:14.6
And I couldn't call, like, I didn't want to call the police.
02:17.9
Which room is it?
02:25.0
But the girl sounded scared, the one that called.
02:27.0
She said, she was like, it's getting out of hand.
02:28.7
Sounds like it's getting really out of hand.
02:30.8
So it was hit number four, huh?
02:33.4
You mean, we stand out there and direct the other deputy that's coming to this area?
02:36.1
Okay, it's on, you're going to go to the fourth floor and it's going to be on this side.
03:28.7
Sheriff's Office, open the door!
03:53.5
Sheriff's Office, open the door!
03:58.7
Drop the gun! Drop the gun!
04:08.3
312, shots fired. Suspect down.
04:16.6
312, get EMS my location.
