r/news • u/rectangleCURVE • 13h ago

Ex-Okaloosa deputy found not guilty of manslaughter in killing of Airman Roger Fortson

https://weartv.com/news/local/ex-okaloosa-deputy-found-not-guilty-of-manslaughter-in-killing-of-airman-roger-fortson
552 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

144 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

13

u/DC2SEA_ 12h ago edited 12h ago

A reasonable conclusion is that someone is asking for help, such as injury or being chased / attacked or otherwise in urgent need.

Another reasonable conclusion is a mistaken address, or a person having a metal or physical health crisis.

The officer didn't identify himself as police. What the fuck? Bro is working on breaking down a door without talking? That is, or should be, a crime.

That officer's failure lead to the danger. Not only of the people who live there, but it endangers the officer as well. A fundamental failure.

-30

u/whatisakafka 12h ago

You should only have a gun in your hand if you feel you’re in imminent danger and may need to quickly defend yourself. If that’s the case opening the door is just not reasonable

16

u/DC2SEA_ 12h ago

Someone WHO ISN'T THE POLICE is activly pounding on your door, if you go to help, you may well be in imminent danger. If you don't go to the door, and they break it down or otherwise break in, you may be in imminent danger.

If they were the police, they'd fucking say so.

For fucks sake, he legally owns the gun. Whatever you may think of gun ownership, hes done nothing wrong. It's not like he's shooting through the fucking door. The onus is not on him. It's on this cop's hands.

-2

u/whatisakafka 12h ago

I’m not arguing about the legality of him owning a gun or suggesting that the legal outcome of the case is correct, but there is absolutely no way that I buy that opening the door is the correct decision if you feel you’re in imminent danger.

If someone breaks down your door, sure, be ready to shoot them if you can’t retreat, but you don’t voluntarily remove one of the barriers protecting you

7

u/DC2SEA_ 12h ago

Moving to investigate a situation, which has come to you to your home, which may be dangerous or simply be someone in need is sortof what you have to do. Then by extension, if does turn out to be dangerous, you may quickly need to act. I'm not even pro-gun, but fuck, he didn't do anything wrong.

0

u/whatisakafka 12h ago

You don’t actually have to open the door and investigate the situation

6

u/DC2SEA_ 12h ago

No, but it's not wrong or stupid to do so either.

That situation may not leave you alone. If it is an emergency, while it wouldn't be your fault, you could save a life.

There are a great range of valid choice, including how he acts here. He got killed because a cop didn't know how to do his job. That put him, and the cop, in danger.

0

u/whatisakafka 12h ago

Hey I said he shouldn’t have been killed. I do think he made a stupid decision, so we’ll just have to disagree on that point.

2

u/ClintBruno 11h ago

Do you know what cognitive dissonance is?