White woman arrested in fatal shooting of Black neighbour in Florida
CBC
A Florida woman accused of fatally shooting her neighbour last week in the violent culmination of what the sheriff described as a 2½-year feud was arrested Tuesday, the Marion County Sheriff's Office said.
Susan Louise Lorincz, 58, who is white, was arrested on charges of manslaughter with a firearm, culpable negligence, battery and two counts of assault in the death of Ajike Owens, a Black mother of four, Sheriff Billy Woods said in a statement.
Authorities came under pressure Tuesday to arrest and charge the white woman who fired through her front her door and killed a Black neighbour in a case that has put Florida's divisive stand your ground law back into the spotlight.
In a video posted on Facebook late Tuesday night, the sheriff said this was not a stand your ground case but "simply a killing."
"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."
The video shared by the sheriff's office shows two detectives and a deputy escorting Lorincz, who was wearing shorts, a black top and a jacket, down a hallway. The woman's hands were behind her back as she walked.
Jail records show she was booked, but did not list a lawyer who could speak on her behalf. It wasn't immediately clear when she would make her first court appearance.
When interviewed, Lorincz claimed that she acted in self-defence and that Owens had been trying to break down her door prior to her discharging her firearm. Lorincz also claimed that Owens had come after her in the past and had previously attacked her. Through their investigation — including obtaining the statements of eyewitnesses — detectives were able to establish that Lorincz's actions were not justifiable under Florida law, a statement from the sheriff's office said.
Earlier Tuesday, about three dozen mostly Black protesters gathered outside the Marion County Judicial Center to demand that the shooter be arrested in the country's latest flashpoint over race and gun violence. The chief prosecutor, State Attorney William Gladson, met with the protesters and urged patience while the investigation continues.
"If we are going to make a case we need as much time and as much evidence as possible," Gladson said. "I don't want to compromise any criminal investigation and I'm not going to do that."
Owens, 35, was killed in the Friday night shooting, Woods said. The women lived in the rolling hills south of Ocala, a north Florida city that is the heart of the state's horse country.
Woods had said Monday that detectives were working with the State Attorney's Office and must investigate possible self-defence claims before they can move forward with any possible criminal charges. The sheriff pointed out that because of the stand your ground law he can't legally make an arrest unless he can prove the shooter did not act in self-defence.
On Tuesday, a stuffed teddy bear and bouquets marked the area near where Owens was shot. Nearby, children were riding bikes and scooters, and playing basketball. Protesters chanted "No justice, no peace" and "A.J. A.J. A.J" using Owens' nickname. They carried signs saying: "Say her name Ajike Owens" and "It's about us."
Outside, the Rev. Bernard Tuggerson said the Black community in Ocala has suffered injustices for years. "Marion County is suffering and needs to be healed completely," he said. "If we don't turn from our wicked ways of the world, it's going to be an ongoing problem. We want answers."
