Sheriff releases bodycam footage from fatal shooting of U.S. airman

An attorney for the airman's family, Ben Crump, previously called for transparency in the police investigation. He said there was a discrepancy between a police statement about the incident and a witness’s account that police had entered the wrong apartment. 

A Florida sheriff’s deputy shot Senior Airman Roger Fortson, 23, at his off-base residence late Friday afternoon. Fortson died later at the hospital. The deputy was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.

What does the video show? The responding deputy twice says, “Sheriff’s office, open the door.” The video appears to show the deputy firing soon after Fortson opens the door with something in his hand.

Who was Fortson? He was stationed at Hurlburt Field, Fla., where he was assigned to the 4th Special Operations Squadron. He served as a gunner on the AC-130J Ghostrider, according to the Air Force Times. He had been on active duty since November 2019.