On May 3, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in an apartment building, and a deputy fatally shot Senior Airman Roger Fortson multiple times in the chest.
His unit has been hit hard by the incident.
In a written statement on May 10, 1st Special Operations Wing Commander, U.S. Air Force Col. Patrick Dierig said, “Our focus remains on supporting Senior Airman Fortson’s family, providing necessary resources to the squadron and all members impacted, and maintaining professionalism and respect at Hurlburt Field. We respect the legal process and the family’s right to secure representation.
He continued, “SrA Fortson was a proven combat veteran and an incredible teammate. His loss is felt throughout the 4th Special Operations Squadron, the 73d Special Operations Squadron, and the entirety of our wing. We will honor his service at a date to be determined by his family and his squadron.”
In a post on X, Congressman Matt Gaetz defended Fortson after Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden released the bodycam video.
“Roger did not deserve to die. He did nothing wrong,” Gaetz wrote. “He is an American patriot for serving in our military and should be remembered as such—with no stain on his reputation whatsoever.”
An Atlanta native, Senior Airman Fortson entered active duty on November 19, 2019, and arrived at Hurlburt Field in March 2020. During his time at the base, Fortson was assigned to the 73rd Special Operations Squadron and 4th Special Operations Squadron as a special missions aviator.
Fortson’s decorations include an Air Force Achievement Medal and an Air Medal with a ‘C’ Device, indicating service or achievement performed under combat conditions. He was deployed to Southwest Asia in mid-2023, where he earned the Air Medal.
On Monday, May 13, Wing Commander Dierig ordered all airmen of the 1st Special Operations Wing to stand down from their duties and come together to grieve to grieve Senior Airman Fortson’s death.