A former police officer who killed a young black soldier during a raid on the victim’s apartment in Florida has heard he will be charged with murder, the prosecutor handling the case announced Friday.

Roger Fortune, 23, who served in the US Air Force, was killed on May 3 during an operation by police, who had received a tip about a possible case of domestic violence. He was in his home, in the middle of a video call with his girlfriend, when police forcefully knocked on his door.

After trying to identify who was knocking, Roger Fortune went for his pistol, then opened the door holding it, the barrel of the gun pointed at the floor.

He dropped dead almost instantly, struck by six police bullets.

The officer who opened fire, Eddie Duran, who was released after the tragedy, faces up to 30 years in prison, said District Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden.

According to the county sheriff’s office where the officer served, Roger Fortune offered no resistance and never pointed his gun at the deputy.

In 2020, the USA experienced a wave of mass mobilizations and riots after the killing of George Floyd, an African-American, by a white police officer in Minneapolis. His death has reignited calls for police reform, as well as dialogue on black-white relations in the country, where racism remains an unresolved issue.

The criminologist representing the victim’s family, Ben Crump, said the indictment was only “the first step” in getting justice.

“But let’s remind police officers around the world that they swore to protect (…) and that their actions have consequences, especially when they lead to the loss of life,” said the lawyer, who is well known in the US, as he often handles police cases violence with black victims.