FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. — (AP) — A Florida sheriff’s deputy announced himself as law enforcement just before fatally shooting a Black U.S. Air Force airman inside his apartment in the state’s Panhandle, according to body camera video shown to reporters Thursday.
Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden presented the video hours after the family of Senior Airman Roger Fortson and their attorneys held a news conference in which they disputed that the deputy acted in self-defense.
The video from the deputy’s body camera showed that Fortson answered his apartment door with what appears to be handgun pointed down toward the floor. The video shows the deputy banging on the door, stepping aside, seemingly out of view of the door. Twice he shouted: “Sheriff’s office!”
The door opened, and the deputy shouted, “Step back!” The deputy then fired off shots, and shouted, “Drop the gun! Drop the gun! Do not move!” The deputy then called for …