The Air Force’s special operations division in Florida, where Senior Airman Roger Fortson was stationed before his fatal police shooting on May 3, suspended its training operations on Monday, May 13th. This pause allowed the unit members to mourn their deceased colleague while preparations for his upcoming funeral were underway.
Fortson, who worked as a gunner on the AC-130J Ghostrider with the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field near Fort Walton Beach, Florida, died after being shot multiple times by a deputy from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. The deputy confronted the 23-year-old at his off-base residence following a disturbance call. Fortson was shot seconds after opening the door, a legally owned firearm by his side.
Col. Patrick Dierig, commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing, emphasized the importance of supporting one another in a message to the troops that was leaked to Military.com. Squadrons and work centers will have resources made available to have difficult conversations, vent, cry, laugh, yell, and support each other,” Dierig stated. I want all of you to know your voices matter, and we all need to be connected in our grief. It’s OK not to be OK.”
Dierig encouraged his airmen to use the day to engage in small group dialogues and access support resources at squadron centers. He also urged them to seek guidance from commanders, senior enlisted leaders, and chaplains during this challenging period.
Quick Use of Deadly Force
The quick use of deadly force by the deputy, especially since Fortson, who was Black, did not brandish his weapon, has sparked significant controversy and concern, not only within the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field but also among the broader military community. The incident has prompted responses from congressional members as well.
Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, leader of Air Force Special Operations Command, sent a message last week to the special operators, expressing sorrow over “the untimely and tragic loss of a fellow air commando” and called for support for Fortson’s family and colleagues.
“We will all see this event through varying lenses, informed by our journeys and our perspectives,”
Training Operations Suspended
The Air Force’s special operations division in Florida, where Senior Airman Roger Fortson was stationed before his fatal police shooting on May 3, suspended its training operations on Monday, May 13th. This pause allowed the unit members to mourn their deceased colleague while preparations for his upcoming funeral were underway.
Fortson, who worked as a gunner on the AC-130J Ghostrider with the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field near Fort Walton Beach, Florida, died after being shot multiple times by a deputy from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. The deputy confronted the 23-year-old at his off-base residence following a disturbance call. Fortson was shot seconds after opening the door, a legally owned firearm by his side.
Col. Patrick Dierig, commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing, emphasized the importance of supporting one another in a message to the troops that was leaked to Military.com. Squadrons and work centers will have resources made available to have difficult conversations, vent, cry, laugh, yell, and support each other,” Dierig stated. I want all of you to know your voices matter, and we all need to be connected in our grief. It’s OK not to be OK.”
Dierig encouraged his airmen to use the day to engage in small group dialogues and access support resources at squadron centers. He also urged them to seek guidance from commanders, senior enlisted leaders, and chaplains during this challenging period.
Quick Use of Deadly Force
The quick use of deadly force by the deputy, especially since Fortson, who was Black, did not brandish his weapon, has sparked significant controversy and concern, not only within the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field but also among the broader military community. The incident has prompted responses from congressional members as well.
Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, leader of Air Force Special Operations Command, sent a message last week to the special operators, expressing sorrow over “the untimely and tragic loss of a fellow air commando” and called for support for Fortson’s family and colleagues.
“We will all see this event through varying lenses, informed by our journeys and our perspectives,”
Bauernfeind said in his message, reported by Military.com. “We must acknowledge and respect these varying perspectives so we can move forward as a team.”
He cautioned against premature judgments about the incident. “Avoid assuming Fortson ‘did something wrong’ or that ‘law enforcement did something wrong,'” he advised, noting that “the investigation will lay out the facts” and stressed the importance of recognizing the grief of different team members.
Body Camera Footage Released
The sheriff’s office has released police body camera footage showing the deputy arriving at Fortson’s apartment, where he shoots him multiple times within moments of opening the door. After the shooting, as Fortson lay wounded, the deputy is heard instructing him to drop his weapon.
Sheriff Eric Aden of Okaloosa County stated that the deputy involved has been placed on leave while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Attorney General’s office review the case and footage.
Ben Crump, the lawyer representing Fortson’s family, confirmed that the airman was shot six times. According to Crump, Fortson was alone and on a FaceTime call with his girlfriend when the police arrived, contradicting the disturbance report.
Congress members have begun voicing their concerns and offering support. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Republican from the district home to Hurlburt Field, supported Fortson on X: “Roger did not deserve to die. He did nothing wrong,” Gaetz stated on May 10. “He is an American patriot for serving in our military and should be remembered as such — with no stain on his reputation whatsoever.”
Similarly, Rep. Lucy McBath, a Democrat from the district in Atlanta where Fortson’s family resides, has reached out to express condolences and support, as per the family’s attorney.
Community members have placed flowers at the doorstep where Fortson was killed and held a candlelight vigil at the complex on Sunday.
His funeral is scheduled for Friday at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church near Atlanta, according to the family’s attorney.
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