A judge set a $100,000 bond on Thursday for a former sheriff’s deputy from Florida accused of manslaughter for fatally shooting a senior airman from the U.S. Air Force in May.

Eddie Duran Jr., 38, was charged last Friday with manslaughter with a firearm for the death of 23-year-old Roger Fortson in Fort Walton Beach, a small town in the Florida Panhandle. If found guilty, Duran could face a maximum of 30 years in prison.

Duran had his bail denied during his initial court session on Tuesday at the Okaloosa County Circuit Court. However, during a hearing on Thursday, Judge Terrance R. Ketchel set the bond at $100,000, while the prosecution sought a $250,000 bond and Duran’s defense team argued for a $10,000 bond.

During the hearing, Duran’s attorney, Rodney Smith, advocated for Duran’s release, whereas prosecutors emphasized the seriousness of the charges he faces.

“He has dedicated his life, both personally and professionally, to helping others,” Smith stated. “He poses no threat to the community.”

Along with the bail conditions, the court mandated that Duran cannot own any weapons or firearms and is barred from contacting Fortson’s family and any witnesses involved in the case. He is also restricted from leaving the First Judicial Circuit area of Florida without court consent.

Jail records indicate that Duran was released after the Thursday hearing concluded.

Incident Details: Air Force Senior Airman Shot at Apartment Entrance

On May 3, Duran was responding to a domestic disturbance report at an apartment complex in Fort Walton Beach. His body camera captured him knocking on Fortson’s door repeatedly and announcing he was with the sheriff’s office.

Fortson opened the door holding a gun in his right hand, pointed toward the ground, according to the footage. At that moment, Duran discharged his weapon, fatally shooting Fortson.

Civil rights lawyer Ben Crump stated that Fortson was on a FaceTime call with his girlfriend during the event; she could hear everything and described Fortson as startled by the aggressive knocking.

This incident gained national attention as Fortson’s family called out for justice following the shooting over several months. Together with Crump, they organized a news conference and rally earlier this month urging Florida prosecutors to bring charges against Duran.

Crump commented last Friday that bringing charges against Duran was the “initial move towards justice for Roger Fortson’s family.”

“Nothing can restore Roger’s life, and our battle is far from finished. However, we’re optimistic that these charges will bring true justice for the Fortson family,” he said. “Let this serve as a reminder to law enforcement that they have a sacred duty to uphold, and their decisions carry significant consequences, especially when they lead to loss of life.”

Background on Eddie Duran

Duran was booked into the Okaloosa County Jail on Monday after prosecutors charged him with one count of manslaughter with a firearm. He was later transferred to the Escambia County Jail following his first court appearance.

The decision to charge him was made after the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office found Duran’s actions during the incident were “not reasonably justified.” He was dismissed from his position in May after an internal investigation by the agency.

Last week, the sheriff’s office reiterated their stance on Duran’s termination, stating it was due to the administrative investigation that concluded his use of force lacked objective reasonableness.

“We extend our best wishes for comfort and peace to Mr. Fortson’s family as the legal proceedings for the former deputy continue,” the sheriff’s office said.

The investigative report revealed that Duran holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal psychology and is partway through a master’s program in human service counseling concentrating on crisis management and trauma. He began his military service in the Army in 2003 and was deployed to Iraq in 2008.

Shifting from military intelligence to law enforcement in 2007, he trained with the Army’s Special Reaction Team as a military police officer. After receiving an honorable discharge in 2014, he launched his civilian law enforcement career in Oklahoma as a police officer, later becoming a K9 officer from 2015 to 2019.

Duran transferred to Florida and joined the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. After moving away in 2021, he returned in 2023 and re-enlisted with the agency.

Contributions by: Krystal Nurse and Taylor Ardrey, YSL News; Collin Bestor, Northwest Florida Daily News