On Friday afternoon, Congressman Matt Gaetz, representing Florida’s 1st congressional district, took to social media to address the tragic shooting of U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Roger Fortson by an Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Deputy on May 3.
- In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Gaetz expressed his deep sadness over the incident and offered his perspective on the ongoing investigation.
“The killing of Airman Roger Fortson in my community continues to be a source of deep sadness,” Gaetz wrote. “As the investigation continues, I think one thing is clear from the body cam and should be stated unequivocally: Roger did not deserve to die. He did nothing wrong.”
Gaetz’s statement comes amidst ongoing investigations by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office into the circumstances surrounding Fortson’s death.
Last week, attorneys representing the Fortson family held a press conference demanding justice and requesting the release of the body cam footage. They described Fortson as a humble, intelligent, and law-abiding citizen with no criminal record. Fortson’s mother, Meka Fortson, emotionally recounted her son as a “gift” and her “everything.”
In his social media post, Congressman Gaetz emphasized Fortson’s status as an American patriot, stating, “He is an American Patriot for serving in our military and should be remembered as such with no stain on his reputation whatsoever.”
- Gaetz concluded his post with a message of condolence, saying, “May God bring some peace to all who loved Roger as the important work ahead continues.”
