Police Killing of Airman Raises Questions About Police Brutality, Racism
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Senior Airman Roger Fortson, 23, was fatally shot in his Florida apartment on May 3 by an Okaloosa County deputy responding to a disturbance call. The attorney for Fortson's family, Ben Crump, says police entered the wrong apartment.
The Details: Fortson was a member of the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field. According to a witness who was reportedly on FaceTime with Fortson at the time of the incident, he fetched his legally owned firearm after hearing loud knocking at his door. Bodycam footage appears to show Fortson opening the door and the responding officer shooting him almost immediately. The deputy was placed on administrative leave.
For Context: Police were responding to reports of a couple arguing loudly. Fortson was home alone at the time of the incident. Crump has said that the deputy "burst through the door." The footage appears to show Fortson opening the door.
How The Media Covered It: Some left-rated sources highlighted the fact that Fortson was black and noted other examples of police killing black people under questionable circumstances. Right-rated sources usually didn't.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
Black Air Force airman killed by Florida deputies responding to wrong home: attorney
A Black U.S. Air Force airman was fatally shot in his home by Florida deputies, who mistakenly burst into the wrong apartment while responding to a disturbance call, according to his family’s attorney.
Senior Airman Roger Fortson, who was based at the Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, was in his off-base apartment in Fort Walton Beach when he was gunned down by law enforcement officers on Friday. He was on a Facetime call at the time with an unnamed woman, civil rights attorney Ben Crump said in a statement on Wednesday.
Citing her...
From the Center
FL Deputy Who Killed Airman At Home Entered Wrong Apartment: Attorney
The attorney of a Florida airman who was shot and killed by an Okaloosa County deputy in his home last week says authorities entered the wrong apartment.
The airman was identified as Senior Airman Roger Fortson, 23, according to Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Fortson's family. Crump's office said Fortson was shot six times before later being pronounced dead.
Crump is expected to hold a news conference Thursday morning, requesting transparency and the release of body cam footage in the matter.
From the Right
Bodycam footage shows Florida cop gun down airman in his own home without warning
Authorities in Florida released shocking police bodycam footage Thursday that showed an Okaloosa County Sheriff’s deputy shooting and killing an armed special operations US airman in his own apartment — before the cop even told him to drop his gun.
The unidentified deputy was responding to the Chez Elan Apartments in Fort Walton Beach May 3 on a domestic violence call — a woman said she heard arguing from a frequently-troubled couple in a nearby apartment.
Roger Fortson’s family said that the deputy barged into the wrong apartment — and that the...
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