Former police officer arrested for fatal shooting of US pilot Roger Fortson

A former Florida deputy sheriff who shot and killed a U.S. Air Force member in his home has been arrested after being charged with the murder last week.

Eddie Duran, 38, was charged with manslaughter with a firearm on Friday in connection with the killing of 23-year-old Roger Fortson, but he was not taken into custody at the time.

The incident occurred last May when Mr. Duran attempted to enter Fortson's home while responding to a domestic disturbance call at his apartment complex.

If convicted, the former police officer faces a prison sentence of up to 30 years based on the charges.

Fortson was killed in his home, which was five miles from the Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida, where he was stationed.

Body camera footage released after the shooting shows police being led to an elevator in Fortson's apartment complex by a witness who said she heard a fight coming from inside an apartment.

The deputy then approached Fortson's front door alone, knocked, and called out twice that he was an employee of the “Sheriff's Office.”

Fortson was seen holding a gun in his right hand as he opened the door. The officer fired several shots as soon as the door opened and subsequently ordered him to drop the weapon.

Chantemekki Fortson, the high-ranking airman's mother, said at a press conference after the charges were announced on Friday that she hoped “this will make a change and show others that you can't just kill people.”

It was unclear Monday evening whether Mr Duran had legal representation.

A few weeks after the shooting, Mr. Duran was fired from the Oskaloosa County Sheriff's Office following an internal investigation.

In announcing the decision, Sheriff Eric Aden said the investigation found that Fortson “did not engage in hostile attack” and that Duran's “use of deadly force was objectively unreasonable.”

Ben Crump, an attorney representing Forton's family, said at the time of the shooting, Fortson was home alone and on a video call with a friend.

Fortson, who had no previous convictions, had been on active duty since 2019.

According to the US Air Force, he was assigned to the 4th Special Operations Squadron.