Funeral set for Roger Fortson, the Black US Air Force member killed in his home by Florida deputy

STONECREST, Ga. (AP) — A funeral will be held Friday for a Black U.S. Air Force senior airman who was shot and killed in his Florida home by a sheriff’s deputy, a day after the decorated military member’s mother vowed during an emotional news conference to get justice for her son.

Roger Fortson’s service is scheduled to be held at the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in the Atlanta suburb of Stonecrest. He grew up in the area before joining the Air Force. The 23-year-old was a senior airman who served in overseas combat zones and was stationed at Hurlburt Field in the Florida Panhandle when he was shot to death by the deputy responding to a domestic violence call.

During a news conference Thursday, a lawyer for Fortson’s family highlighted police radio and body camera footage that he said shows the deputy went to the wrong apartment.

The airman’s mother, Meka Fortson, spoke glowingly about how her son was always on a positive path and had never been in trouble or shown signs of violence.

“Roger was light. There was not a stain on his name. He will not be put to rest in darkness because he was light,” she said during the news conference.

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