Crime & Public Safety
Jury Acquits Former Okaloosa County Deputy in 2024 Fort Walton Beach Shooting
A jury in Fort Walton Beach returned a not-guilty verdict on Oct. 2, 2026, for former Okaloosa County Sheriff’s deputy Eddie Duran on a manslaughter-with-a-firearm charge stemming from a May 2024 apartment shooting. The charge arose after a senior airman was shot inside his residence while Duran was responding to a disturbance call.
Prosecutors brought the case to trial after a review of the incident. During testimony, Duran said he followed training when knocking and identifying himself before the door opened. He testified the resident held a firearm and that the weapon was aimed slightly toward him when the door opened. Body-worn camera footage entered in the case showed the firearm pointed toward the ground. Investigators reported no other persons were present in the apartment at the time of the shooting.
The State Attorney for the 1st Judicial Circuit issued a statement after the verdict noting that prosecutors believed the evidence warranted presentation to a jury and that they respected the jurors’ service. The office emphasized that the not-guilty finding meant the state did not meet the burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt for the counted charge in this case.
At the time of the verdict, the prosecution accepted the jury decision; officials urged the public to respond peacefully and to respect the dignity of the deceased’s family. The matter is now closed as a criminal prosecution by verdict, with no further criminal disposition reported in the public record provided.
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All individuals mentioned in criminal allegations are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.