Son of sword-wielding man shot by police arrested

He faces two felony charges of possession after officers observed ‘numerous’ drug sales

League City police arrested the stepson of a man who was fatally shot after he aggressively wielded a samurai sword as officers were serving a search warrant Tuesday morning, authorities said.

Brandon Wilson, 20, was arrested on two state felony charges of possession of more than 4 ounces of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance. Both charges were enhanced to third-degree felonies because the offenses occurred in a Drug Free Zone near a school. His bail was set at $20,000 on each charge.

Wilson was arrested after officers with the League City Police Department Combined Agency Response Team and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives went to his home in the 300 block of Morningside Drive around 5 a.m. Tuesday to execute a search warrant.

During the investigation, League City police detectives observed “numerous hand to hand narcotics transactions” taking place in the front yard. Several suspects were arrested as they left the residence after buying illegal drugs and illegal firearms, police said.

As officers were searching the home, one entered a bedroom to find Wilson’s stepfather, Roger Fortner, 49, wielding a samurai sword “in an aggressive posture.” League City Police Officer Andrew Gilbertson fired a “bean bag,” or flexible baton round, at Fortner, who would not comply with officers. League City Police Officer Matt Maggiolino then fired several shots from his rifle, killing Fortner at the scene.

Gilbertson is a six-year veteran of the League City department, and Maggiolino is a fiveyear veteran of the department and has 14 years of law enforcement experience.

Both officers were placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure, while the Galveston County Sheriff ’s Office conducts an investigation into the shooting.