A Florida sheriff’s deputy, Eddie Duran, was granted bond after facing charges of manslaughter for shooting a U.S. Air Force senior airman at the airman’s apartment door. The incident, which was captured on Duran’s body camera, occurred when the airman opened his door holding a handgun pointed at the floor. Judge Terrance R. Ketchel set bond at $100,000 for Duran, who faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted of manslaughter with a firearm. Despite arguments from Duran’s lawyer Rodney Smith that he is not a danger to the community, Duran had been held pending the pretrial detention hearing.
Prosecutor Mark Alderman emphasized that the case is clear in terms of what happened, stating that Duran killed Roger Fortson and it is a matter of interpretation. Duran, who has been homeschooling his six children during his time off work, sat quietly in the courtroom during the hearing. The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office initially claimed that Duran acted in self-defense, but an internal investigation determined that his life was not in danger when he opened fire. Outside law enforcement experts have also stated that an officer cannot shoot solely based on a suspect holding a gun when there is no threat.
Duran was responding to a report of a physical altercation inside an apartment at the Fort Walton Beach complex when he encountered Fortson, who was alone in his apartment, speaking with his girlfriend on FaceTime. After knocking on the door, Duran shot Fortson multiple times before instructing him to drop the gun. Duran claimed that he believed he was about to be shot and acted out of fear for his life. In a statement released after the hearing, Duran’s lawyer maintained that the deputy’s actions were reasonable given the information he had about the situation.
The shooting of the Black airman in his own home has reignited conversations about police violence in the Black community and Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law. Fortson’s funeral drew hundreds of Air Force members in dress blues, along with family and friends. Duran’s legal team has indicated that they will assert defenses such as qualified immunity and stand your ground as they continue to cooperate with authorities. The case has garnered national interest due to the video evidence of the shooting and the circumstances surrounding the incident.
