Former Florida deputy charged in killing of airman granted a bond by Judge

A court in Florida granted bond to a fired deputy who was accused of manslaughter in the death of an Air Force soldier at his residence on Thursday. Eddie Duran, a former Okaloosa County deputy, has been placed on bond for $100,000. In order to be released, he must also comply with certain requirements, such as not speaking to the guy he shot’s family.

Following the shooting death of Senior Airman Roger Fortson more than three months ago, Duran was charged with manslaughter last week. Before Duran shot him, Fortson allegedly answered the door to his apartment with a gun pointing toward the ground; the shooting was seen on the deputy’s body camera. A maximum of 30 years in jail are possible for the manslaughter charge.

Duran was arrested at the Escambia County jail on Monday after turning himself in to the authorities. According to ABC News, the Okaloosa County Circuit Court issued an order prohibiting Duran from owning weapons, interacting with Fortson’s family, or leaving the First Judicial Circuit region of Florida.

Duran, 38, knocked on Fortson’s door many times while attending to a complaint about a domestic disturbance in his capacity as a sheriff’s officer. According to footage from the former deputy’s body camera, Duran shot the airman nearly immediately after he answered the door.

Fortson was home alone with his dog and on a video call with his girlfriend at the time, according to Fortson’s attorneys, while Duran went to the wrong residence. After an inquiry into the shooting, which found that Duran’s “use of deadly force was not objectively reasonable” in accordance with sheriff’s office policy since “Fortson did not make any hostile, attacking movements,” Duran was fired.