The neighbor who allegedly shot and killed a Florida mother of four during a confrontation last week has been arrested, local authorities announced early Wednesday.
Officials took Susan Louise Lorincz, 58, into custody Tuesday and charged her with manslaughter with a firearm, among other offenses, in connection with the fatal shooting of Ajike Owens outside Lorincz’s home, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said.
Owens, a 35-year-old Black woman, had gone to the residence in Ocala, Fla., last Friday following incidents involving her kids and Lorincz, who is white, according to officials.
“Lorincz had become angry at Owens’ children, who were playing in a field close to her home. On June 2, Lorincz engaged in an argument with the children and was overhead yelling at them by a neighbor,” the sheriff’s office said.
“During this argument, Lorincz threw a roller skate at Owens’ 10-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.”
Owens was joined by her 10-year-old son went she knocked on Lorincz’s door. Owens was shot once through the front door and later died at a hospital, according to the sheriff’s office.
Lorincz claimed she acted in self-defense. The other charges against her include two counts of assault, battery and culpable negligence. The manslaughter charge could result in 30 years in prison.
“I want to thank my detectives for working tirelessly to fully investigate this case,” Sheriff Billy Woods said in a statement. “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.”
On Monday, Woods referenced Florida’s stand-your-ground law in respect to the investigation.
“What a lot of people don’t understand is that law has specific instructions for us in law enforcement,” Woods told reporters. “Any time that we think or perceive or believe that may come into play, we cannot make an arrest. The law specifically says that. What we have to rule out is whether the deadly force was justified or not.”