The Florida deputy who shot and killed 23-year-old Roger Fortson in his home month has been fired. The Okaloosa County, Fla., Sheriff’s Department said that Deputy Eddie Duran was fired after an internal affairs investigation of Fortson’s death concluded that Duran's use of deadly force was not "objectively reasonable" and violated agency policy, NPR reports. “This tragic incident should have never occurred,” said Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden. “The objective facts do not support the use of deadly force as an appropriate response to Mr. Fortson’s actions. Mr. Fortson did not commit any crime. By all accounts, he was an exceptional airman and individual.”
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing Fortson's family, said that while Duran's firing is a "step forward," it is not full justice for Fortson and his family. "The actions of this deputy were not just negligent, they were criminal," Crump said. "Just as we did for Botham Jean, Atatiana Jefferson, and Breonna Taylor, we will continue to fight for full justice and accountability for Roger Fortson, as well as every other innocent Black man and woman gunned down by law enforcement in the presumed safety of their own home," he added. Fortson was shot and killed on May 3. According to authorities, the sheriff's office sent deputies to Fortson's apartment in response to a disturbance call. Fortson was alone in his apartment FaceTiming with his girlfriend when the deputy approached his door, according to his family's lawyers. In body cam footage of the incident, a deputy is seen knocking on the door and announcing himself as law enforcement. Fortson then appears while holding a gun pointed toward the ground. The deputy, identified as Duran, immediately fired shots multiple times. Fortson died in the hospital.