A Florida jury has acquitted a former sheriff's deputy charged in the death of an Airman from metro Atlanta.

Sr. Airman Roger Fortson, 23, died in 2024 after he was shot by Okaloosa County Deputy Eddie Duran while answering his front door. The sheriff's office later fired Duran and prosecutors charged him with manslaughter.


It took the jury a little over two hours to deliberate and come back with a non-guilty verdict. Duran was facing up to 30 years.

The shooting happened on May 3, 2024 at Fortson's apartment in Fort Walton Beach. Fortson, who was from Atlanta and stationed in Florida, was on the phone with his girlfriend, Tytiana Hendricks, when someone began knocking on his apartment door.

Hendricks told jurors Fortson said he looked through the peephole but could not see anyone outside. She testified that she could hear the knocking became increasingly aggressive.

 The first time we speculated it was a knock and didn't do anything,  said Hendricks.  The second knock gets louder and more harsher. We both ask each other who that could be, and he was like  I don't know, no one really comes to my door so I don't know who that could be'. 

Hendricks testified that Fortson didn't get an answer, couldn't see anyone and said he was getting his gun. Body camera footage showed Fortson answer the door with a gun in his hand that appeared to be pointed toward the floor.

The deputy shouted,  Step back!  and fired off shots. He then shouted,  Drop the gun! Drop the gun! 

 It's over there,  Fortson said.

 Drop the gun!  the deputy yelled back.

 I don't have it,  Fortson said, lying on the ground. He later died at the hospital.

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Duran shot Fortson five times. He told the jurors that he felt his life was in danger and the shooting was in self-defense.

 Looking at his eyes, it was clear to me that I wasn't welcomed. I wasn't a welcome presence. He seemed aggressive, frustrated, and again, just I'm not welcome,  Duran said.

ABC News reports that state prosecutor Mark Alderman argued that Fortson was  no threat  and th

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