Hundreds pack funeral for slain airman Roger Fortson

Senior Airman Roger Fortson was shot and killed by a Florida sheriff's deputy May 3, 2024, at his off-base residence near Hurlburt Field, Florida. (Air Force)

On Friday, hundreds of Air Force members, family, friends, and others gathered at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, Georgia to pay their final respects to Senior Airman Roger Fortson, who was shot and killed by a sheriff's deputy in his Florida home earlier this month. The 23-year-old Black airman was killed six times by the deputy responding to a call about a possible domestic violence situation at Fortson's apartment complex in the Florida Panhandle. The service was marked by powerful eulogies, calls for justice, and a sea of Air Force blue uniforms.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, speaking on behalf of the Fortson family, emphasized that Roger was an American patriot who deserved justice. Rev. Jamal Bryant of the church called for justice and pointed out that Black Americans often face opposition due to their race, even when they wear uniforms. Even Rev. Al Sharpton weighed in, calling for accountability and highlighting Fortson's military service.

The case is still under investigation, but the Fortson family is seeking justice and transparency. The deputy involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave, and the incident report has not been released. The killing of Airman Fortson is just one of many cases of police violence against Black people in the United States.