UPDATE: Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office breaks silence on Airman Fortson’s shooting death

Disclosure: Body camera footage shows what led up to a deadly shooting and the shooting itself. Viewer discretion is advised.

UPDATE (2:31 p.m.): Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden showed body camera footage from a shooting that killed U.S. Air Force Airman Roger Fortson.

Aden said deputies did enter the correct apartment and announced themselves when they arrived.

The sheriff also said Fortson acknowledged law enforcement was at the door and had a gun.

“What we do know at this time is that the deputy did announce himself not once but twice,” Aden said. “Mr. Fortune’s comments indicate that he did acknowledge it was law enforcement at the door, and he arrived at the door with a firearm in his hand. The deputy knocked on the correct door. He did not cover the peephole or otherwise obscure its view in any way.”

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is conducting its own separate investigation of the shooting.

UPDATE (2:04 p.m.): The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is holding a press conference to speak out about the deadly shooting of an Air Force man.

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OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG) — Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, along with the family of U.S. Air Force Airman Roger Fortson, held a press conference today about his death.

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Fortson, 23, was killed when Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to the Chez Elan Apartments on May 3.

“We are here at this press conference mainly because we have to correct this narrative,” said Crump. “Roger Fortson was the best America had to offer. He was a patriot.”

According to Hurlburt Field, Fortson was assigned to the 4th Special Operations Squadron and entered active duty on Nov. 19, 2019.

Crump said there was no disturbance at Fortson’s apartment; therefore, they believe deputies had come to the wrong apartment.

Fortson’s girlfriend was on Facetime with him at the time of the shooting.

“She talked about how she heard a bang at the door, an aggressive bang, and she talked about how he said, ‘Who is it?’ and he heard no response,” said Crump. “She talked about how he went to the door to look through the peephole, but it was as if somebody was covering up the peephole so he couldn’t see out of it.”

Crump continued by saying that the girlfriend heard Fortson continue to say, “Who is it,” and went to retrieve his gun to protect himself. The girlfriend said she heard shots after he grabbed his gun.

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According to Fortson’s mother, EMS was never called, and instead, deputies said her son was “shot up.”

The family will watch OCSO body camera footage at noon Thursday.

The sheriff’s office will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. Thursday.

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