Fired deputy sued for killing US airman who answered door with gun pointed at ground

The family of a U.S. Air Force airman has filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against a former Florida sheriff’s deputy who fatally shot the serviceman as he answered his front door while holding a legally owned firearm pointed toward the ground.

The incident occurred in November 2022 when Senior Airman Roger Fortson, 23, stationed at Hurlburt Field, responded to a knock at his apartment door. According to bodycam footage and police reports, Fortson had his firearm in hand, pointed downward, as he opened the door. Moments later, he was shot multiple times by the responding Okaloosa County deputy, who claimed he feared for his life.

Fortson was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The deputy, identified as Michael Ellison, was fired from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office following an internal investigation that concluded his use of deadly force was “not justified under department policy.” The State Attorney’s Office is conducting a separate criminal investigation.

According to the lawsuit filed this week, the Fortson family alleges that Ellison used excessive force, violated the airman’s Fourth Amendment rights, and failed to follow proper de-escalation protocols. The suit also accuses the sheriff’s office of negligent training and supervision.

Fortson’s family and legal team argue that he had every legal right to arm himself inside his own home and that he never posed an imminent threat. They also note that he was alone, had committed no crime, and had no criminal record.

“This was a young man, a patriot, who was shot for exercising his Second Amendment rights,” said the family’s attorney, Benjamin Crump. “He answered the door in his own home, holding a firearm legally. And now he’s dead.”

The shooting has sparked widespread outrage and renewed scrutiny over how law enforcement handles armed residents, particularly in stand-your-ground and constitutional carry states like Florida.

The family is seeking unspecified damages and calling for sweeping changes in law enforcement training on home encounters.