Update (May 7, 2023): The Marion County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed Susan Lorincz, 58, was charged with manslaughter with a firearm and other offenses in the shooting death of Ajike Owens.
Initially, Susan tried to hide behind Florida’s “stand your ground” law by claiming she acted in self-defense when she shot Ajike through her front door.
But, “detectives were able to establish that Susan Lorincz’s actions were not justified under Florida law” and she was arrested.
The manslaughter charge Lorincz is facing is punishable by up to 30 years in prison, the office noted. She’s also charged with culpable negligence, battery, and two counts of assault. (CBS News)
Read the original post below.
Ajike Owens, a mother of four, was fatally shot by her alleged racist neighbor on Friday in Ocala, Florida.
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said at a news conference Monday that the neighbor, who has not been arrested or identified, yelled at Ajike’s children as they played in a field and hit one of them with a pair of skates.
After the assault, the children went home to inform their mother of what happened, but they left their tablet behind and the neighbor took it.
Ajike Owens, who has been having issues with the neighbor for nearly 2.5 years, went to the woman’s apartment to address the incident.
The woman fatally shot Ajika through the front door – in front of her children.
Deputies responding to a trespassing call at the apartments arrived to find Ajike Ownns suffering from gunshot wounds.
She was rushed to a nearby hospital where she died.
Since January 2021, Sheriff Woods said deputies have responded at least a half-dozen times due to feuds between Ms. Owens and the woman who shot her.
Police have not arrested the shooter because they are working with the State Attorney’s Office and must investigate possible self-defense claims before considering criminal charges.
The sheriff pointed out that because of Florida’s “stand your ground” law, he can’t legally make an arrest unless he can prove the shooter did not act in self-defense.
But, I’m sure if Ajike Owens had shot her neighbor through the door she’d already be in jail.
Mainstream media appears to be leaving a very big piece of this case out…the shooter is a racist.
Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump is representing Ajike’s family and said in a statement that the shooter had been yelling racial slurs at the children before the confrontation with their mother.
The sheriff’s office has not addressed the slurs because that would make this a hate crime.
Most of the information the deputies have is coming from the shooter, Woods said.
Well, allow me to present the information from Ajike Owens’ family.
Her cousin took to TikTok to share info about the incident and the moments leading up to the fatal shooting.
Jai Michelle wrote:
I can’t believe I’m even having to write any of this….
But last night my cousin was shot and killed by her neighbor- whom the entire concha’s complained about, to the landlord and to the police for a while.
This woman took my cousin’s son tablet, after he left it playing outside playing with some of the other neighbors kids, when he went back to get it, the neighbor gave him a hard time about it- so he went to his mom for help.
She went to address the woman about her kids, and when the neighbor opened the sliding glass door she shot her.
She was brought in for questioning and released and this is not sitting well with our family.
The sheriff’s office is keeping this quiet and it hasn’t received any media attention.
With multiple witnesses accounts, especially with her mental state- I’m not sure how they saw it was fit for her to be released.
She’s a threat to the community. So if you all could please share this, comment, contact the sheriff’s department to properly make an arrest AND CHARGE this woman- that will be so helpful.
We won’t be quiet about this! Ajike was a mother of 4 beautiful kids, and they meant the world to her.
She literally died protecting them. Please share so we can see to it that we get justice on her behalf. #justiceforajike #sayhername #protectblackwomen) #ajikeowens
See Jai Michelle’s original post below.
Watch below as Joy Ann Reid speaks with Ajike’s family.
It’s infuriating to see how openly that menace to society is being protected by everyone from the police to her landlord.
I pray the family of Ajike Owens gets justice and that her children receive the help that they will most definitely need.
Below is the telephone number to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office if you’d like to give them a holla to remind them that killers should be arrested and charged.
Marion County Sheriff’s Office
352-732-8181
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below or join the convo on our socials. (Facebook, Instagram)
Source: ABC News
