Killing of Ajike Owens
| Killing of Ajike Owens | |
|---|---|
| Location | Ocala, Florida, U.S. |
| Date | June 2, 2023 c. 9:00 p.m. (EST) |
Attack type | Shooting |
| Victim | Ajike "AJ" Owens |
| Charges | Manslaughter with a firearm, culpable negligence, battery and two counts of assault |
On June 2, 2023, in Ocala, Florida, Ajike "AJ" Shantrell Owens[1] was shot and killed by a neighbor. The accused is a 58-year-old woman. Owens was knocking on the accused door after altercations occurred between Owen's children and the accused in a field nearby. The accused shot Owens through the door. Police responded to "a trespassing call" when they received another call about a shooting at the same address. They found Owens injured and took her to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.[2][3][4]
Background[edit]
Owens, her family and the 58-year-old accused shooter had contentious history between them before the fatal shooting. According to Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods there were about half a dozen calls concerning an ongoing neighborhood feud that deputies had responded to since January 2021, that involved the parties.[5] A neighbor living across from the accused stated that the accused was angry all of the time due to the Owens children playing outside, and that the accused would say "nasty things to them".[6]
Shooting[edit]
Police interviewed Owens' children along with neighbors who overheard the accused arguing with the children. They reported that during the argument the accused allegedly threw a roller skate at the children, hitting one of them in the foot, and also allegedly swung an umbrella at another one of them. After the children told their mother about the incident, Owens went to the accused's home to confront her. She was with her 10-year-old son when she knocked on the accused's door, and when she got shot.[7] Civil rights attorney Ben Crump and Anthony D. Thomas, who represent Owens' family, said the accused used racial slurs directed at the children who, like Owens, are black.[6]
The accused claimed she was acting in self defense and claimed Owens was trying to break down her door. She also claimed in the past Owens had tried to attack her.[3][8] A neighbor from across the street heard Owens' son yelling "They shot my mama, they shot my mama" and ran over to start giving CPR.[6] Responding deputies to a trespassing call after 9pm found Owens laying in the grass, suffering from a gunshot wound, with Owens later being pronounced dead at the hospital.[9]
Legal[edit]
During an interview on June 5, 2023 Marion County Sheriff Woods stated they would have to consider Florida's Stand Your Ground law before making any arrests and had primarily only heard from the accused and were still working on contacting and interviewing Owen's children.[10] After conducting interviews, and reviewing surveillance footage and digital evidence, the police arrested the accused, Susan Lorincz, a 58-year old white insurance agent from Marion County, on June 7, 2023, and charged them with manslaughter with a firearm, culpable negligence, battery and two counts of assault.[3][8][11] On the matter of whether Florida's Stand Your Ground law applied, Sheriff Billy Woods said in a press conference that "This situation is a prime example of when it was not justified. It was simply a killing."[11]
On June 6, a little over 30 protestors gathered outside the Marion County Judicial Center to demand the arrest of the accused shooter. Chief prosecutor and state attorney William Gladson, met with protestors and urged them to be calm indicating that the investigation was still on going and they did not want to compromise it.[6]
Aftermath[edit]
In the aftermath of the shooting many proponents and family members of Owens called for a reevaluation of the Stand Your Ground rules, along with potential clarification on the rule. A law professor at William and Mary Law School indicated when asked that she was concerned that there was a widespread misunderstanding of the rule, and that it had turned into a "shoot first think later" belief by some.[12] The GoFundMe page that was set up by the Owens family after the shooting indicated that they had partnered with national advocacy groups to promote change of Stand Your Ground laws.[9]
Response[edit]
In a statement from the family of Owens, her mother Pamela Dias stated that the child standing next to Davis when she died, was consumed with grief and guilt that he was unable to perform CPR on Owens. According to Dias the child told her "Grandma, grandma. I couldn't save her."[10]
The executive director of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, told reporters that she was absolutely heartbroken over the shooting and that it was a senseless act in result of lax gun laws and culture to shoot first.[6]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Miller, Austin L. (June 8, 2023). "'She was a heart of gold': Outcry for Black mother Ajike Owens after Ocala, Florida, shooting". USA TODAY. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
- ^ Hauser, Christine (June 6, 2023). "Family Seeks Arrest in Killing of Woman Shot Through Neighbor's Door". The New York Times. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
- ^ a b c Taylor, Derrick Bryson (June 7, 2023). "Florida Woman Arrested in Fatal Shooting of Her Neighbor". The New York Times. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
- ^ McCluskey, Mitchell; Maxouris, Christina (June 5, 2023). "A Black mother of 4 was shot and killed by a neighbor. Her family wants the woman who shot her arrested". CNN. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
- ^ Chasan, Aliza (2023-06-05). "Family of woman shot through door in Florida calls for arrest". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
- ^ a b c d e Anderson, Curt; Frisaro, Freida (2023-06-06). "Protesters call for arrest of white woman who fatally shot Black neighbor". AP NEWS. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
- ^ Timsit, Annabelle (June 7, 2023). "White woman who shot Black neighbor through door is arrested". Washington Post. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
- ^ a b Anderson, Curt; Frisaro, Freida (June 7, 2023). "White woman who fatally shot Black neighbor is arrested in Florida". Associated Press. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
- ^ a b Maxouris, Christina (2023-06-06). "It's been 4 days since Ajike 'AJ' Owens was fatally shot after knocking on a neighbor's door. Here's what we know". CNN. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
- ^ a b Riess, Ray Sanchez,Rebekah (2023-06-07). "Children of Black Florida mother who was killed after knocking on neighbor's door consumed with guilt over her death". CNN. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b 58-Year-Old Woman Arrested in Fatal Shooting of Neighbor, retrieved 2023-06-12
- ^ Whitefield-Anderson, Jayla (2023-06-07). "Advocates call for abolishing 'stand your ground' laws after Ajike Owens's death". Yahoo News. Retrieved 2023-06-08.