Florida Mom Shot And Killed After Knocking On Neighbor’s Door

On June 2, 2023, Ajike ‘AJ’ Owens, a 35-year-old Black mother, was allegedly shot and killed by her 58-year-old white neighbor Susan Louise Lorincz after a dispute about Owens’ children. Prior to the murder, Lorincz reportedly harassed the Owens family and called them racial slurs, CNN reported.

Over time, Lorincz became angry because the Owens children played in a field near her home in Ocala, Florida. Sheriff Billy Woods of the Macon County Sheriff’s Office stated, “On June 2, Lorincz engaged in an argument with the children and was overheard yelling at them by a neighbor. During this argument, Lorincz threw a roller skate at Owens’ [9]-year-old son, striking the child in the toe. After this, when the child and his 12-year-old brother went to speak to Lorincz, she opened her door and swung at them with an umbrella.”

The children told their mother about the abusive incidents, and Owens went to Lorincz’s home to discuss the matter. She brought her young son along and knocked on the door repeatedly. She demanded that Lorincz come outside. Instead, Lorincz allegedly fired a shot through the door which struck Owens in her upper chest. The victim’s 9-year-old son was by her side when she was fatally wounded.

The Macon County Sheriff’s Office arrived in response to two calls and found Owens in front of Lorincz's apartment. She later died from the gunshot wound at HCA Florida Ocala Hospital.

CNN reported that the Owens children blame themselves for the tragic murder. The child who witnessed the murder feels responsible since he told his mother about Lorincz’s mistreatment. Another of her children blamed themselves for not knowing CPR they felt might have saved her.

On June 6, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office reported that Lorincz was arrested for manslaughter with a firearm, which is a first-degree felony that can bring a 30-year prison sentence. She was also charged with culpable negligence, battery, and two counts of assault.

Before police could make an arrest, Woods said that police had to investigate whether the shooting was justified under Florida’s “stand your ground” law. They determined that it wasn’t and that “It was simply a killing,” he said, according to NBC News.

After Lorincz’s arrest, Woods said, “I want to thank my detectives for working tirelessly to fully investigate this case. I also want to thank Ms. Owens’ family for their patience as we conducted the diligent investigation that we were bound by law to conduct. Ms. Lorincz’s fate is now in the hands of the judicial system, which I trust will deliver justice in due course. As I go to bed tonight, I will be saying a prayer for Ms. Owens’ children and the rest of her family. I’d ask all of you to do the same.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up in support of the Owens children and to help with AJ’s memorial service. The page also shared that the family “has partnered with activists and national advocacy groups to effect change on a national scale.”