Crump and the family will call for transparency and the release of body cam footage
OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. –– Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump will hold a Thursday news conference with the family of Roger Fortson, a 23-year-old active-duty Senior Airman who was fatally shot by a Florida Sheriff’s Deputy on Friday, May 3.
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According to a witness who was on Facetime with Roger during the entire encounter, Roger was alone in his apartment when he heard a knock at the door. He asked, “Who is it?” but didn’t get a response. A few minutes later, there was a very aggressive knock on the door, but Roger didn’t see anyone when he looked out the peephole. Concerned, he did what any other law-abiding citizen would do and retrieved his legally-owned gun, but as he was walking back to the living room, police burst through the door. When they saw the gun, they shot Roger six times. The witness has said that she saw Roger on the ground stating, “I can’t breathe,” after he was shot. She has also said the police were in the wrong apartment as there was no disturbance in the apartment and he was alone.
He was later taken to the hospital where he died. Few details have been provided by law enforcement.
Roger enlisted in the military after graduating from high school with honors and had no criminal record. By all accounts, he was a stellar member of the Air Force and loved by his community.
WHO:
Family of Roger Fortson
Attorney Ben Crump
Attorney Brian Barr of the Levin Papantonio Rafferty Law Firm
WHEN:
Thursday, May 9, 2024, at 10:30 am CT
WHERE:
Hilton Garden Inn-Ft. Walton Beach, Ballroom
1297 Miracle Strip Pkwy. SE
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
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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.
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