A Florida woman, Susan Lorincz, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Monday for fatally shooting her neighbor, Ajike Owens, a 35-year-old Black mother of four, in a case that sparked outrage over gun violence and racism. The shooting occurred on June 2, 2023, in Ocala, Florida, following a heated dispute between Lorincz and Owens’ children, told CBS Mornings.
Owens, known as AJ, was unarmed when Lorincz, 60, fired a .380-caliber handgun through her locked door, striking Owens in the chest. Owens had gone to Lorincz’s home with her 10-year-old son to confront her after Lorincz allegedly shouted at neighborhood children and threw a roller skate at Owens’ son. The boy, who witnessed the shooting, later told family members he felt guilty for not being able to save his mother.
During the sentencing, Judge Robert Hodges emphasized that Lorincz had ample opportunity to call law enforcement and that her actions were driven by anger, not fear. “The shooting was based, I find, more in anger than in fear,” he said.
Prosecutors had charged Lorincz with manslaughter with a firearm and assault, citing Florida’s controversial “stand your ground” law as a factor in their decision not to pursue second-degree murder charges. The law allows individuals to use force in self-defense, but the prosecution argued that Owens posed no immediate threat.
Throughout the trial, Lorincz claimed she acted in self-defense, stating she feared for her life when Owens knocked on her door. However, witnesses testified that Lorincz was known to harass neighborhood children and frequently used racial slurs, including against Owens’ children. Lorincz admitted to some of these allegations during police interviews but denied intentionally throwing the roller skate.
A jury of all white jurors found Lorincz guilty of manslaughter with a firearm in August. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing Owens’ family, called the verdict “a critical step in securing justice.” He added, “AJ Owens was a devoted mother whose life was tragically cut short, leaving her children, including a young son who witnessed this horrific act, to carry the burden of her loss.”
Prosecutor Bill Gladson noted the case as a tragic reminder of the consequences of gun violence. “The defendant’s choices have left four young children without their mother, a loss that will be felt for the rest of their lives,” he said. While the sentencing cannot undo the tragedy, Owens’ family hopes it provides some measure of justice and accountability.