Authorities arrest former Florida sheriff's deputy who shot and killed black airman in his home

Updated: 16 a few minutes ago Published: 16 a few minutes ago

A former Florida sheriff's deputy accused of killing a black U.S. Air Force airman who opened the door to his apartment while holding a gun pointed at the ground was arrested Monday, authorities said.

Former Okaloosa County Deputy Eddie Duran, 38, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter with a firearm in the May 3 fatal shooting of 23-year-old Roger Fortson, Assistant State's Attorney Greg Marcille announced Friday. The charge is a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

Duran was booked into the county jail Monday, records show. Marcille confirmed his arrest to The Associated Press.

“He did turn himself in,” Marcille said in a telephone interview, adding that Duran’s first court appearance would be via video link Tuesday morning. “He will be held in custody pending his first court appearance.”

An attorney representing Duran did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Authorities say Duran was directed to Fortson's Fort Walton Beach apartment in response to a report of a domestic disturbance that turned out to be false.

After knocking several times, Fortson opened the door while holding his handgun at his side, pointed downward. Authorities say Duran shot him multiple times; only then did he ask Fortson to drop the gun.

On Friday, the day the indictment was announced, candles and framed photos of Fortson in uniform adorned the door of the apartment where he was killed.

According to the internal report on the shooting, Duran told investigators that when Fortson opened the door, he saw the aggression in the airman's eyes. He said he fired because he was standing there thinking, I'm about to get shot, I'm about to die.

Okaloosa Sheriff Eric Aden fired Duran on May 31 after an internal investigation concluded his life was not in danger when he opened fire. Outside law enforcement experts also have said a police officer cannot shoot just because a potential suspect is holding a gun if there is no threat.

Duran is a veteran of law enforcement, having started as a military police officer in the Army. He joined the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office in July 2019, but resigned two years later, saying his wife, a nurse, had been transferred to a naval hospital out of the area. He joined the sheriff's office in June 2023.

Okaloosa personnel records show he was reprimanded in 2021 for failing to complete an assignment to confirm the addresses of three registered sex offenders by going to their homes, telling a colleague he didn’t care about them. Later assigned to a high school as an on-campus assistant, he was also disciplined that year for leaving the school before the final bell rang and students dismissed. Florida law requires an armed guard to be on campus when classes are in session.

911 call records show that deputies had never been called to Fortson's apartment before, but had been summoned to a neighboring unit 10 times in the previous eight months, including once for a domestic dispute.

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Anderson reported from St. Petersburg, Fla. Martin reported from Atlanta.