Current:Home > Scams16-year-old brother fatally shot months after US airman Roger Fortson was killed by deputy -LegacyBuild Academy
16-year-old brother fatally shot months after US airman Roger Fortson was killed by deputy
View
Date:2025-04-22 16:18:40
Months after U.S. Air Force senior airman Roger Fortson was gunned down by a Florida deputy, his 16-year-old brother was killed as a result of a shooting in Georgia.
Andre Fortson was fatally shot on Wednesday at Summit Hill Apartments in DeKalb County, which is just east of Atlanta. When officers got to the scene just before 10:00 p.m. local time, they discovered the victim in a breezeway with gunshot wounds, a DeKalb Police spokesperson told USA TODAY.
Police arrested a suspected shooter, identified as 20-year-old Quintavious Zellner. Jail records show that he was charged with aggravated assault.
In their initial investigation, detectives determined that "two groups of subjects were shooting at each other" for an unknown reason, according to police.
Community members told WSB-TV they overheard gunfire before cars skirted off the scene. An injured Andre was left behind as a neighbor tried to help him.
“I tried to save him, doing CPR because I couldn’t save him," a neighbor, identified only as Jaqueia, told the outlet, describing Andre as a "really good boy. He was never disrespectful, never saw him in any altercations, or anything like that."
Roger Fortson news:Body of US airman fatally shot by Florida deputy returned to Georgia ahead of funeral
Roger Fortson was killed by a deputy in May
The death of Andre comes as the family is grappling with the death of Fortson in early May. Eddie Duran, who was terminated from the Okaloosa County County Sheriff's Office, was identified as the deputy involved.
On May 3, Duran responded to a Fort Walton Beach apartment complex after receiving a call about an apparent disturbance.
Duran's body camera footage shows that he knocked on Fortson's apartment door three times and announced he was with the sheriff's office. Fortson opened the door while holding a gun in his right hand and pointed down. The deputy said, "step back," and then shot Fortson.
"I want justice for my child. You're not going to throw me a bone. Take his credentials. Take his pension," his mother, Chantemekki Fortson, said at a news conference.
During the investigation, the sheriff's office found that Duran's use of force "was not objectively reasonable and therefore violated agency policy."
Fortson's body was delivered to his family in Atlanta prior to his funeral.
Family attorney requests privacy for the family during this 'impossible time'
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump confirmed the passing of the family member in a statement on Wednesday.
"The Fortson family is battling the loss of yet another young member of their family. This has been an incredibly challenging time for them with the loss of Roger," the statement said. "Losing the life of yet another young family member – a mere child – has been an absolute devastation. We are asking the media and the public for privacy and space during this impossible time.”
Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com.
veryGood! (4326)
Related
- Romantasy reigns on spicy BookTok: Recommendations from the internet’s favorite genre
- How 12 Communities Are Fighting Climate Change and What’s Standing in Their Way
- Pregnant Olympic Gold Medalist Tori Bowie's Cause of Death Revealed
- Sun unleashes powerful solar flare strong enough to cause radio blackouts on Earth
- Man can't find second winning lottery ticket, sues over $394 million jackpot, lawsuit says
- Climate Change Worsened Global Inequality, Study Finds
- Yellen lands in Beijing for high-stakes meetings with top Chinese officials
- A Shantytown’s Warning About Climate Change and Poverty from Hurricane-Ravaged Bahamas
- Arkansas State Police probe death of woman found after officer
- World Is Not on Track to Meet UN’s 2030 Sustainable Energy Goals
Ranking
- 'Kraven the Hunter' spoilers! Let's dig into that twisty ending, supervillain reveal
- Shipping Lines Turn to LNG-Powered Vessels, But They’re Worse for the Climate
- Yellen lands in Beijing for high-stakes meetings with top Chinese officials
- Federal judge in Trump case has limited track record in criminal cases, hews closely to DOJ sentencing recommendations
- New data highlights 'achievement gap' for students in the US
- How Energy Companies and Allies Are Turning the Law Against Protesters
- Net-Zero Energy Homes Pay Off Faster Than You Think—Even in Chilly Midwest
- Lupita Nyong'o Brings Fierceness to Tony Awards 2023 With Breastplate Molded From Her Body
Recommendation
US wholesale inflation accelerated in November in sign that some price pressures remain elevated
In a Growing Campaign to Criminalize Widespread Environmental Destruction, Legal Experts Define a New Global Crime: ‘Ecocide’
EPA Rejects Civil Rights Complaint Over Alabama Coal Ash Dump
Kristin Davis Cried After Being Ridiculed Relentlessly Over Her Facial Fillers
All That You Wanted to Know About She’s All That
TikToker Allison Kuch Is Pregnant, Expecting First Baby With NFL Star Isaac Rochell
Summer job market proving strong for teens
Eva Longoria and Jesse Metcalfe's Flamin' Hot Reunion Proves Their Friendship Can't Be Extinguished