Photo Courtesy of Ajike Owens’ family
In a heart-wrenching incident that has shaken a Florida community, Ajike “AJ” Owens lost her life after being shot by a neighbor over a multi-year feud.
The tragic incident occurred on Friday night in Ocala, where a confrontation between Owens and her neighbor, Susan Lorincz, turned deadly. The devastating aftermath has left Owens’ two young sons blaming themselves for the loss of their beloved mother.
The feud between Owens and Lorincz reportedly escalated after the neighbor yelled racial slurs at Owens’ children and even hit one of them with a roller skate.
Stricken with grief, Owens’ sons, aged 9 and 12, believe that their actions led to their mother’s untimely demise. Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias, tearfully revealed that her 9-year-old grandson witnessed the horrifying incident, carrying the heavy burden of guilt in his heart. He blamed himself for not being able to save his mother, recalling his futile attempts at administering CPR.
Dias expressed the anguish her grandsons now face, having witnessed their mother’s senseless murder at such a tender age.
“In his soul and his heart, it’s his fault that his older brother, his baby sister, and his baby brother, as well as himself, will never see their mother again, because he went home and told his mother what this woman did to him,” she said.
“They witness their mother murdered in cold blood, taking her away from them at such an early age. This is not fair that they have to deal with this,” she added.
Their lives forever altered, these young boys are left grappling with the unbearable pain of losing their mother and the weight of misplaced guilt. Dias, joined by national civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, called on prosecutors to upgrade Lorincz’s manslaughter charge to murder, emphasizing the need for justice and accountability.
Related Story: Arrest Made In Shooting Death Of Ajike Owens Following Altercation With Neighbor
The arrest of Lorincz, four days after the shooting, brought some relief to Owens’ grieving family. Crump, known for his involvement in high-profile cases, stressed the importance of prosecuting the killer and addressing the racial dynamics of the incident. Highlighting the need for equality, Crump urged the state attorney to zealously pursue justice in this heartbreaking case, regardless of the races involved.
“One of the reasons I am so relieved that Sheriff [Billy] Woods made that arrest last night is that it tells Pamela’s children it was not their fault,” Crump said Wednesday.
“We have to remember now this is only the first step for justice. The state attorney, now that Sheriff Woods has done his job, now has a job to do and that is to zealously prosecute the killer of AJ Owens,” he continued. “We want him to zealously prosecute the killer of AJ Owens, just like he would do if the roles had been reversed and a black woman had shot a white woman in front of her children through a locked metal door.”
As the community mourns the loss of Ajike “AJ” Owens, her family continues to grapple with the immense pain of her absence. The grief-stricken sons, burdened by their unfounded guilt, are left with the daunting task of healing from this devastating tragedy. While justice begins to take its course, the focus remains on supporting these young boys and ensuring that their mother’s memory lives on, free from the weight of blame and sorrow.