This footage, provided by the Okaloosa Co. Sheriff's Department, shows the recent incident wherein Senior Airman Roger Fortson was shot and killed by one of their deputies (identity withheld) in Fort Walton Beach, FL. In the course of this incident, SrA Fortson is shot six times. Viewer discretion is advised.

Normally, I go through these videos second-by-second, but I hope you'll forgive me on this one. Fort Walton is essentially my backyard, and as a SrA myself, this one hits close to home. In full disclosure, knowing how young Airmen and Fort Walton Beach can be, I gave the benefit of the doubt to the deputy when reports were just coming in, but that was a failing of my judgment. What happens in this video is so clear and concise that it doesn't need a play-by-play, and it clearly shows that SrA Fortson was not the guilty party.

The deputy makes contact with a witness who tells him fighting has been heard in an apartment on the property. She leads him to the apartment she believes is the one in question, but by her own admission isn't sure. She describes a domestic altercation which prompted her call. Despite telling him twice that she isn't sure of the apartment number, she gives him number 1401 when asked.

The deputy finds 1401 at 03:30 and knocks, announcing his presence. SrA Fortson opens the door at 04:11, a legally-owned pistol held, but not pointed, in his right hand. It bears emphasisizing that Fortson is standing in his own apartment, holding his own property, and not threatening anyone, despite having heard a loud knock at his door. Upon seeing the handgun, the unnamed deputy shoots Fortson six times, with rounds landing in his chest and arm. Look, even when it happens in split-seconds, as here (link NSFW), there's a difference between simply holding a gun in a non-threatening direction and pointing or shouldering it. That is not what happens here. Despite being shot six times for essentially nothing, Fortson remains compliant, pointing out to the deputy that he has already let go of the gun when the deputy tells him to drop it.

Senior Airman Roger Fortson was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead as result of his injuries. A Special Missions Aviation crewman, he was assigned to the 4th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, having been enlisted since 2019.

The Sheriff's office maintains that the deputy was acting in self defense, while witnesses- including Fortson's girlfriend, with whom he was FaceTiming at the time of the incident- say that the deputy did not enter the right apartment. There is also a narrative being spread that the deputy 'burst into' the room and shot Fortson; the video shows that despite everything else wrong with this, the deputy did not do that. The incident is being investigated by the State of Florida.

It's worth mentioning that the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office brought us the acorn incident earlier this year. You can make your own inferences.

About the Author

Cole Simms

Cole Simms is an Air Guardsman, NASA enthusiast, police officer, and security contractor with particular experience in austere environments. Outside of work, he volunteers as a Stop The Bleed instructor for area schools. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and blends his knowledge and experience to write analysis for Funker530.

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