In the early morning hours of Saturday, November 13, 1982, Deputy Sheriff Roy James Fortson Jr., a 35-year-old male, was off-duty at the Majestic Bar at the intersection of 36th and Spring Garden Streets in Philadelphia. At approximately 2:00 a.m., two masked men entered the establishment and announced a robbery. One of the men stood guard at the front door while the other approached the bar and robbed the bartender.
As the armed man who had collected the money began to exit, Deputy
Fortson, who was unarmed, took action. He tackled the suspect, and a struggle ensued. During the altercation, Deputy Fortson was shot multiple times. Two other off-duty deputies, who had been outside making a phone call, heard the commotion and returned to the bar. They exchanged gunfire with the suspects as the two men fled the scene.
Roy James Fortson Jr. succumbed to his injuries, becoming the first deputy sheriff in the city of Philadelphia to be killed in the line of duty. He was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Philadelphia Sheriff's Office for 12 years. He was survived by his wife and two children.
Following the incident, both suspects, aged 21 and 26, were apprehended. The older of the two was subsequently convicted of second-degree murder and received a life sentence. In May 2014, a Hero Plaque was dedicated in Deputy Fortson's honor outside the Criminal Justice Center in Center City, Philadelphia, attended by his family, friends, and members of the law enforcement community.
