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Police Shooting Airman
A small shrine is pictured Monday, May 13, 2024, in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. at the door of an apartment where a Florida deputy shot and killed Senior Airman Roger Fortson. The shrine includes a long wooden plank, anchored by two sets of aviator wings and a black marker to leave thoughts, a Stella Artois, and combat boots and an American Flag. As the unit takes a day to grieve and prepare for a funeral Friday, May 17, questions remain about the shooting. (AP Photo)

Questions and grief linger at the apartment door where a deputy killed a US airman

At the apartment door where a Florida deputy shot and killed Senior Airman Roger Fortson, a small shrine is growing with the tributes from an Air Force unit grappling with his loss

By Tara Copp
Published - May 13, 2024, 04:44 PM ET
Last Updated - May 13, 2024, 04:44 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — At the apartment door where a Florida deputy shot and killed Senior Airman Roger Fortson, a small shrine is growing with the tributes from the Air Force unit grappling with his loss.

There is a long wooden plank, anchored by two sets of aviator wings, and a black marker for mourners to leave prayers and remembrances for the 23-year-old.

One visitor left an open Stella Artois beer. Others left combat boots, bouquets and an American flag. Shells from 105mm and 30mm rounds like those that Fortson handled as a gunner on the unit's AC-130J special operations aircraft stand on each side of the door — the empty 105mm shell is filled with flowers.

Then there's the quarter.

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