Florida Deputies Who Fatally Shot U.S. Airman Burst Into Wrong Apartment, Attorney Says
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Teen brother of Air Force airman who was killed by Florida deputy is fatally shot near Atlanta
Authorities say the teenage brother of a U.S. Air Force airman who was fatally shot in his home by a Florida sheriff’s deputy in May was shot to death this week near Atlanta
abcnews.go.com
Teen brother of Air Force airman who was killed by Florida deputy is fatally shot near Atlanta
Authorities say the teenage brother of a U.S. Air Force airman who was fatally shot in his home by a Florida sheriff’s deputy in May was shot to death this week near Atlanta
By JEFF MARTIN Associated Press
August 1, 2024, 9:27 AM
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ATLANTA -- The teenage brother of a U.S. Air Force airman who was fatally shot in his home by a Florida sheriff's deputy in May has been killed in a shooting in the Atlanta area, police said.
Andre Fortson, Senior Airman Roger Fortson's 16-year-old brother, was killed this week in DeKalb County, near Atlanta's east side, DeKalb County police said.
“The Fortson family is battling the loss of yet another young member of their family,” said civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has been representing the family since Roger Fortson was killed.
“This has been an incredibly challenging time for them with the loss of Roger,” Crump said in a statement. “Losing the life of yet another young family member — a mere child — has been an absolute devastation.”
Andre Fortson was found shot to death in the breezeway of an apartment complex on Tuesday, police said. Two groups of people had been shooting at each other for unknown reasons, DeKalb County police said.
A 20-year-old man was identified as one of the shooters and arrested on an aggravated assault charge, police said. He was booked into the DeKalb County Jail. Jail records did not list an attorney who could be reached for comment on his behalf.
The killing comes about three months after Roger Fortson, 23, was killed on May 3 by Okaloosa County sheriff's Deputy Eddie Duran in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The airman answered the door to his apartment while holding a handgun pointed toward the floor and was killed within seconds, body camera video showed.
Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden fired Duran, saying the deputy's life was never in danger and he should not have fired his weapon.
A sheriff’s office internal affairs investigation found that Fortson “did not make any hostile, attacking movements, and therefore, the former deputy’s use of deadly force was not objectively reasonable.”
Crump has called for on state prosecutors to file criminal charges against Duran.
“This tragic incident should never have occurred, and we must ensure that there are consequences for such reckless actions,” Crump said in a statement. “Roger Fortson’s family deserves justice, and our community deserves accountability.”
The state attorney's office did not immediately have a comment on the shooting investigation.
The Fortson family is from DeKalb County, where Andre Fortson was killed. At a tearful news conference a couple of weeks after the Florida killing, Andre Fortson stood on the stage with his mother and sisters. They wore red shirts with the words “WE ALL WE GOT” on the front and a picture of Roger Fortson in his military uniform on the back.
Roger Fortson was stationed at the Air Force's Hurlburt Field in the Florida Panhandle. At his funeral outside Atlanta, hundreds of Air Force members in dress blues filed past his coffin, draped with an American flag.
Belize King
I got concepts of a plan.
I can’t imagine what that mother and family is going through right now. To lose two sons within a 3 month period to gun violence.
I live in Dekalb county. That complex is down the street from my daughter’s old school. These young men shooting for no reason and kill innocent people is disturbing and disheartening.
My heart goes out to the family.
I live in Dekalb county. That complex is down the street from my daughter’s old school. These young men shooting for no reason and kill innocent people is disturbing and disheartening.
My heart goes out to the family.
Both bros were innocent...smh. RIP
"What I heard was some gunfire, and it was coming from the backside of my building,” said a neighbor.
We just heard them saying Andre, stay with us,” they said.
Neighbors describe hearing cars drive off, leaving 16-year-old Andre Fortson bleeding in a breezeway. Every neighbor Doudna talked to said they believed Andre was an innocent bystander.
“I tried to save him, doing CPR because I couldn’t save him,” said Jaqueia, a neighbor of the Fortsons.
Jaqueia says Andre was a good kid who loved to dance with neighbors and had big dreams.
“He never disrespected me. You always see him go to school. He was a really good boy. He was never disrespectful, never saw him in any altercations, or anything like that,” she said.
The 16-year-old’s death is the continuation of a nightmare for the Fortson family.
"What I heard was some gunfire, and it was coming from the backside of my building,” said a neighbor.
We just heard them saying Andre, stay with us,” they said.
Neighbors describe hearing cars drive off, leaving 16-year-old Andre Fortson bleeding in a breezeway. Every neighbor Doudna talked to said they believed Andre was an innocent bystander.
“I tried to save him, doing CPR because I couldn’t save him,” said Jaqueia, a neighbor of the Fortsons.
Jaqueia says Andre was a good kid who loved to dance with neighbors and had big dreams.
“He never disrespected me. You always see him go to school. He was a really good boy. He was never disrespectful, never saw him in any altercations, or anything like that,” she said.
The 16-year-old’s death is the continuation of a nightmare for the Fortson family.
Damn.
Born2BKing
Veteran
OMG, pray for there mama.Both bros were innocent...smh. RIP
"What I heard was some gunfire, and it was coming from the backside of my building,” said a neighbor.
We just heard them saying Andre, stay with us,” they said.
Neighbors describe hearing cars drive off, leaving 16-year-old Andre Fortson bleeding in a breezeway. Every neighbor Doudna talked to said they believed Andre was an innocent bystander.
“I tried to save him, doing CPR because I couldn’t save him,” said Jaqueia, a neighbor of the Fortsons.
Jaqueia says Andre was a good kid who loved to dance with neighbors and had big dreams.
“He never disrespected me. You always see him go to school. He was a really good boy. He was never disrespectful, never saw him in any altercations, or anything like that,” she said.
The 16-year-old’s death is the continuation of a nightmare for the Fortson family.
Father too or we just gonna ignore the man?
shyt like this is why I don't complain about my life. I haven't had power in my house in over 24 hrs due to a storm I have to throw all my food that's in the fridge away. I have probably $1000 worth of meat, steaks, brisket, chicken, turkey in my deep freeze I have to throw in the trash. I'm never going to complain about it because while it sucks I don't have it hard.
