Susan Lorincz, 58, has been charged with manslaughter with a firearm, culpable negligence, battery, and two counts of assault for the killing of Ajike Owens.
The white woman who shot a Black woman through her front door has been arrested and charged with homicide in the woman’s death.
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods announced early Wednesday morning that they arrested 58-year-old Susan Lorincz. She has been charged with manslaughter with a firearm, culpable negligence, battery, and two counts of assault.
Lorincz allegedly shot and killed Ajike Owens, a single mother of four, Friday after Owens went to confront Lorincz about an interaction she had with her children, Woods said. Without opening the door, Lorincz shot and killed Owens, while her 10-year-old son stood next to her, according to the sheriff's department.
Woods said Lorincz was not immediately arrested after the shooting due to laws surrounding the Stand Your Ground law that his office must follow before making an arrest.
"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."
Sheriff Woods said in a prior press conference that in order to make an arrest, they would have to determine if the use of deadly force can be justifiable in that situation, in this case, they determined it was not.
“Lorincz claimed that she acted in self-defense and that Owens had been trying to break down her door prior to her discharging her firearm,” Woods said. “Detectives were able to establish that Lorincz’s actions were not justifiable under Florida law.”
Leading up to the fatal shooting, Lorincz was overheard yelling at and arguing with Owens’ children, who were playing in a field close to Lorincz’s residence, according to the sheriff’s department.
During the argument, Lorincz threw a roller skate at Owen’s 10-year-old son, which hit him in the toe, said Woods. Then, the 10-year-old and his 12-year-old brother went to speak with Lorincz, who opened her door and then began swinging an umbrella at the children.
The children went home to tell their mom, Owens, about what happened and she went to confront Lorincz with her 10-year-old son, according to the sheriff's department. After knocking on the door and telling her to come outside, Lorincz fired a shot through the door which struck and killed Owens.
“Ms. Lorincz’s fate is now in the hands of the judicial system, which I trust will deliver justice in due course,” Sheriff Woods said. “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.”
The attorney representing Owens’ family released a statement following the arrest of Lurincz, saying “While we are relieved that the woman apparently responsible for the tragic killing of Ajike “AJ” Owens has been arrested, we are no less concerned that accountability has taken this long because archaic laws like Stand Your Ground exist.”
“What does it say when a person can shoot and kill an unarmed mother in the presence of her young children, and not be immediately taken into custody, questioned, and charged,” they said. “We will remain vigilant in seeking justice for AJ and other people of color, like Ralph Yarl, who simply knocked on a door and was met with the barrel of a gun.”
