A grieving metro Atlanta mother airs her frustration and grief nearly two years after her son was killed by a deputy in Florida.
Meka Fortson traveled from DeKalb County to Florida to attend a scheduled hearing for now-fired Okaloosa County Sheriff’s deputy Eddie Duran, who shot 23-year-old U. S. Air Force serviceman Roger Fortson in May of 2024.
The hearing was delayed yet again. A judge recused herself last month. Tuesday, the airman’s mother met with reporters at a church in Fort Walton Beach.
“I need to know what happened to my baby,” says Meka Fortson. “I have so many unanswered questions. I drive five hours...I need clarity.”
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump has filed a lawsuit on her behalf in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, alleging excessive force and negligence. Deputy Duran was dispatched to Senior Airman Roger Fortson’s apartment on a domestic disturbance call which turned out to be false. His girlfriend says Fortson was on a video call with her and playing video games when someone knocked on the door.
The lawsuit claims that body camera footage verifies that Duran failed to identify himself correctly, and positioned himself so he would not be visible through the peephole as he aggressively banged on the door. Fortson, concerned about his safety, retrieved his legally owned firearm and opened the door with the gun pointing towards the ground. Within two seconds of Fortson opening his door, Deputy Duran opened fire, striking Fortson six times.
Body camera footage and an internal affairs report confirmed that Fortson never raised his weapon and posed no threat. Duran was fired by the sheriff for his wrongful use of force and Duran is charged with manslaughter. He is free on bond.
Tuesday, Crump said Ms. Fortson wanted to speak to the press to air her feelings.
“I want to be clear: We are not here to litigate facts or comment on any ongoing legal proceedings,” said Crump. “We’re here because silence, delay, and distance have a human cost.”
Ms. Fortson says she doesn’t think she can adjust to her son’s absence.
“Trying to learn how to live life without my baby’s physical presence? Not knowing what happened to him? I deserve transparency. I deserve clarity,” she said. “Roger deserves it.”
Among Ms. Fortson’s unanswered questions, Crump says, are “How could it have been prevented, and how can we make sure that it doesn’t happen to anyone else’s family?”
Judge William F. Stone will now preside over the case. Duran’s pretrial hearing date has been moved to March 9.