Crime & Public Safety
Former Okaloosa deputy testifies in manslaughter case over Fort Walton Beach apartment shooting
A former Okaloosa County deputy has testified in his manslaughter trial over a May 2024 shooting at an apartment in Fort Walton Beach. Court testimony detailed the deputy’s account of responding to a reported disturbance at an apartment complex and the moments leading to the fatal encounter with a 23-year-old airman.
According to testimony and previously released body camera footage, the deputy approached the apartment and knocked multiple times, announcing himself. The deputy said he heard a male voice use profanity directed at police after the first knock and that, after the third knock, the apartment door opened and a man held a black pistol in his right hand. The deputy testified he perceived the firearm at an upward angle and that he believed the threat was imminent.
Prosecutors have charged the former deputy with manslaughter. The defense has presented testimony explaining the deputy’s decision to approach alone, citing training and the nature of the disturbance call. Body camera evidence shown in court indicates the firearm was not pointed directly at the deputy when the door opened; the deputy described it as angled upward.
The trial is ongoing. Jurors will decide whether the deputy’s actions were reasonable under the circumstances, based on testimony and the video evidence presented at trial.
All individuals accused of a crime are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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All individuals mentioned in criminal allegations are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.