US service member shot and killed by Florida police identified by the Air Force

By TARA COPP and FREIDA FRISARO
Associated Press

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. (AP) — The U.S. Air Force says a 23-year-old Airman supporting its Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida, was shot and killed during an incident involving the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Roger Fortson died Friday at his off-base residence after a deputy responding to a call of a disturbance in progress “reacted in self defense.” According to the Sheriff’s office the deputy reacted after “he encountered a 23-year old man armed with a gun and after the deputy had identified himself as law enforcement.” Fortson was taken to the hospital were he died. The deputy involved has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into the incident.