A Nigerian woman of four, Ajike Owens was shot dead by a white neighbour while she was trying to recover an iPad taken from her child in front of their home, in a housing complex, in Ocala, Florida, the United States.
According to a Twitter post made by acivil rights lawyer, Ben Crump, the 35-year-old woman popularly called ‘AJ’ was killed in the presence of her 9-year-old son.
Crump alleged that the Nigerian woman was shot by her 58-year-old woman neighbour who had complained several times about Owens’ children playing outdoors.
The US attorney also disclosed that the police have yet to make any arrest because of the state’s stand your ground’ rule, describing the murder as unjust killing.
According to a statement issued by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office early on Wednesday morning, Susan who is 58 years of age was charged with manslaughter with a handgun, as well as violence and two charges of assault. She was also charged with culpable negligence and battery.
The sheriff stated that this was “simply a killing” in a Facebook video that was broadcast late on Tuesday night.
“Now many of you were struggling to understand why there was not an immediate arrest,” the sheriff said. “The laws here in the state of Florida are clear. Now I may not like them. I may not agree with them. But however, those laws I will follow.”
According to the sheriff’s office’s footage, Lorincz was wearing shorts, a black shirt, and a jacket as two investigators and a deputy escorted him down a corridor. The woman walked with her hands behind her back.
Evidence showed that, over time, Lorincz had become angry over Owens’ children playing in a field close to her apartment.
The office said that Lorincz threw a roller skate at Owens’ 10-year-old son during the fight and struck him in the toe. The youngster and his 12-year-old brother then went to Lorincz to speak to her, but when she answered the door, she threw an umbrella at them. When they informed their mother what had happened, “Owens went to Lorincz’s house, knocked on the door many times, and ordered Lorincz to come outside. Then, one more shot was fired by Lorincz through the door, wounding Owens in the upper chest.
“At the time she was shot, Owens’ 10-year-old son was standing beside her,” the sheriff’s office noted.
Deputies responding to a trespassing call at the apartment Friday night found Owens suffering from gunshot wounds. She later died at a hospital.
When questioned by the sheriff’s office, Lorincz claimed she acted in self-defense and that Owens was trying to break down her door. “Lorincz also claimed that Owens had come after her in the past and had previously attacked her,” the office continued.
But “detectives were able to establish that Lorincz’s actions were not justifiable under Florida law” and she was arrested, the office said.
The manslaughter charge Lorincz is facing is punishable by up to 30 years in prison, the office noted.
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