Questions and grief linger at the apartment door where a deputy killed a US airman WPXI [Video]

WASHINGTON — (AP) — At the apartment door where a Florida deputy shot and killed Senior Airman Roger Fortson, a small shrine is growing with the tributes from the Air Force unit grappling with his loss.

There is a long wooden plank, anchored by two sets of aviator wings, and a black marker for mourners to leave prayers and remembrances for the 23-year-old.

One visitor left an open Stella Artois beer. Others left combat boots, bouquets and an American flag. Shells from 105mm and 30mm rounds like those that Fortson handled as a gunner on the unit’s AC-130J special operations aircraft stand on each side of the door — the empty 105mm shell is filled with flowers.

Then there’s the quarter.

In military tradition, quarters are left quietly and often anonymously if a fellow service member was there at the time of death.

The 1st Special Operations Wing in the Florida Panhandle, where Fortson served took time from normal duties …