ATLANTA — New information sheds light on the moments following the shooting of a 23-year-old U.S. Airman who was killed by a sheriff's deputy in Florida a week ago.
Cell phone video obtained by Roger Fortson's family captures audio of the encounter between Fortson and the responding deputy at his apartment complex. While the video only shows the ceiling, it captures Fortson's voice repeatedly expressing difficulty breathing before deputies instruct him to cease movement.
"Hang on man, we got EMS coming for you, don't move," you can hear from one of the voices in the video.
Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office in Florida released body camera video Thursday leading up to the fatal confrontation. The video shows the deputy identifying himself and commanding Fortson to step back upon opening the door, followed swiftly by gunfire. Fortson, seen with a firearm at his side, was shot by the deputy and killed.
Attorneys said Fortson, originally from Atlanta and a graduate of McNair High in DeKalb County, was on a FaceTime call when the deputy arrived, with the person on the other end recording the call.
During the encounter, the family attorney asserted that Fortson legally possessed the firearm found at the scene.
In response to mounting questions surrounding the incident, the Fortson family, along with attorney Ben Crump, held a news conference Thursday, demanding transparency and accountability.
Fortson was assigned to the 4th Special Operations Squadron as a special missions aviator, where one of his roles as a member of the squadron's AC-130J Ghostrider aircrew was to load the gunship's 30mm and 105mm cannons during missions.
In a statement Friday, the 1st Special Operations Wing Commander, U.S. Air Force Col. Patrick Dierig, said their focus right now remains on support Fortson's family and provide resources to the squadron impacted by the tragedy.
"SrA Fortson was a proven combat veteran and an incredible teammate," the statement said. "His loss is felt throughout the 4th Special Operations Squadron, the 73d Special Operations Squadron, and the entirety of our wing."
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is currently conducting an investigation into the shooting to determine its justification, with further scrutiny to be applied by the State Attorney's Office.
Watch portions of the cell phone video and body camera footage below.