A woman has been taken into custody in connection with the shooting death of Ajike ‘AJ’ Owens, 35. The shooter, identified in the arrest affidavit as a 58-year-old Susan Lorincz, had reportedly been harassing AJ and her children, using racial slurs, before the fatal shooting.
According to an incident report from the sheriff’s office, the tragic incident occurred four days ago in Central Florida when Owens was shot and killed after knocking on Lorincz’s door.
Deputies responded to a trespassing call after 9 p.m. on Friday and discovered Owens lying in the grass, suffering from a gunshot wound. She was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Prior to the shooting, the shooter had engaged with Owens’ children and threw a pair of skates, hitting them. After one of the children informed Owens about the incident, she went to the neighbor’s home to address the situation. Witnesses stated that Owens knocked on the neighbor’s door before being shot, but the door never opened.
According to witnesses, Owens had no weapon and posed no threat to anyone when she was shot.
It remains unclear whether Lorincz has been formally charged at this time. Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods stated during a news conference on Monday that his office is conducting a thorough investigation to determine whether the use of deadly force was justified.
Sheriff Woods referenced Florida’s “stand your ground” law during the news conference. This law allows individuals to use force to defend themselves or others if they believe there is a risk of serious harm from an assailant. The law has specific guidelines for law enforcement, preventing them from making an arrest if they believe “stand your ground” applies.
The family and attorneys representing Owens expressed their disagreement with the sheriff’s mention of the law, asserting that there is no justification for the killing. They criticized “stand your ground” laws for enabling individuals to resort to unnecessary violent force under the guise of self-defense.
