FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 9, 2026) –– Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump will join the family of U.S. Airman Roger Fortson for a news conference on Tuesday to reflect on his mother’s ongoing grief, call for accountability, and address lingering questions nearly two years after her son’s death.
On May 3, 2024, 23-year-old Airman Fortson was shot and killed inside his Fort Walton Beach apartment during an encounter with an Okaloosa County Sheriff’s deputy. Fortson was at home, opened his door during a law-enforcement response, and was fatally shot within seconds.
WHO:
Family of U.S. Airman Roger Fortson
Attorney Ben Crump
Reverend Cecil B. Williams, Gregg Chapel AME Church
WHEN:
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026
10:30 a.m. CT
WHERE:
Gregg Chapel AME Church
34 Carson Drive SE
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
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MEDIA CONTACT:
[email protected]
ABOUT BEN CRUMP LAW
Through his work, nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump has spearheaded a legal movement to better protect the rights of marginalized citizens. He has led landscape-changing civil rights cases and represented clients in a wide range of areas including civil rights, personal injury, labor and employment, class actions, and more. Ben Crump Law is dedicated to holding the powerful accountable. For more information, visit bencrump.com.