Decorated airman, 23, is killed by cops who shot him SIX TIMES while he was on FaceTime to a friend - before police 'realize their deadly mistake'

An airman was killed at his home after police allegedly forced their way into the wrong apartment and shot him as his horrified friend watched on FaceTime.

US Air Force Senior Airman Roger Fortson, 23, was identified as the young man shot dead in a shooting last Friday afternoon.

It took place at Fortson's off-base residence - an apartment complex on 319 Racetrack Road in Okaloosa County, Florida.

A Okaloosa County deputy was responding to report of a disturbance and 'reacted in self-defense after he encountered a 23-year-old man armed with a gun,' cops say.

A witness, who was on FaceTime with Fortson during the time of the shooting, claimed Fortson heard a knock at the door and asked who was there.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Roger Fortson, 23, was identified as the young man shot dead in a shooting last Friday afternoon

The black airman (pictured) was killed in his Florida apartment after police forced their way into the wrong apartment and shot him as his horrified friend watched on FaceTime

When he did not receive a response but heard another 'very aggressive knock,' Fortson peered through the peephole - but did not see anyone and grew concerned.

Out of concern, Fortson retrieved a gun - which he owned legally, according to the witness.

When he returned to his living room with the gun, authorities allegedly pushed through his door and shot him six times. 

The traumatized witness, who remained on the FaceTime call for the duration of the horrifying shooting, recalled that Fortson said 'I can't breathe,' after the shots were fired. Fortson later died at the hospital.

The deputy involved in the incident has since been placed on administrative leave while the shooting continues to be investigated. 

The 23-year old was based at the Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida. He entered active duty on Nov. 19, 2019

He was assigned to the 4th Special Operations Squadron as a special missions aviator, where one of his roles as a member of the squadron's AC-130J Ghostrider aircrew was to load the gunship's 30mm and 105mm cannons during missions. 

The terrible incident took place at Fortson's off-base residence - an apartment complex on 319 Racetrack Road in Okaloosa County, Florida

Fortson (pictured on the left) was assigned to the 4th Special Operations Squadron as a special missions aviator after entering active duty on Nov. 19, 2019

The Air Force's 1st Special Operations Wing said its priorities are 'providing casualty affairs service to the family, supporting the squadron during this tragic time, and ensuring resources are available for all who are impacted.' 

Fortson's mother, Meka Fortson, said that it had always been a dream of her son to service his country and that he had wanted to become a pilot. 

'It's a disbelief. Every day, I try to go to sleep early to wake up like it's a dream,' she told Military.com. 

'He just came back from deployment from fighting for us. With everything we got going on in our country, he's fighting for us and he came back to be murdered, slain like that so violently.'

'He was my gift, and they took my gift away,' Roger's mother said. 'And they didn't give it to me. God gave me that gift ... and they took my gift away.' 

A similar incident happened involving the same sheriff's office back in November - in which the officer shot an unarmed and handcuffed man after he mistook the sound of a falling acorn for a gunshot, according to The Washington Post. 

The Washington Post's database of fatal police shootings from 2015 to April this year found that police killed the highest number of people on record in 2023.

Black Americans are killed by police at more than twice the rate of White Americans.