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Family of woman shot, killed speak out
The mother of the woman shot and killed in Ocala, Florida in front of her children speaks out after deputies took four days to arrest the suspect, who is the woman's neighbor.
Ocala - A 58-year-old Florida woman is behind bars in the Marion County Jail, arrested in the shooting death of the mother of four children.
Authorities said Susan Lorincz shot through the front door of her residence, striking and killing Ajike Shantrell Owens, commonly referred to as AJ. Lorincz was booked into jail after receiving medical clearance. The victim's mother is grateful that Lorincz was arrested, but she said this is just the beginning.
"I was relieved and happy an arrest was made, although I was saddened that it took four days to happen," said AJ's mother, Pamela Dias.
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said his key witnesses in the shooting were AJ's children. Rather than interview them in the hours after the shooting, he said he wanted to wait to have trained counselors question them because their mother had just died. Owens' nine-year-old son was standing beside at the time of the shooting, according to investigators.
"Here’s the truth, did we want to make the arrest that night? Absolutely we did, no doubt about it," Sheriff Woods said. "It’s tragic when we see someone shooting through the door and killing a human being because of a neighborhood squabble."
Owens family attorney Ben Crump said an arrest could have been made without the children’s statements.
"You had all the probable cause you need to make the arrest, because had the roles been reversed we believe an arrest would have been made."
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However, Sheriff Woods said, by law, he had to take the time to make sure this was not a case of self-defense, before making an arrest.
Family attorney Anthony Thomas said this was never a stand-your-ground case and shared with FOX 35 News what Owens' son said about the shooting.
"Said, ‘My mom knocked on the door,’ and when Susan didn’t answer, his mom said, ‘I know you can hear me,’ and that’s when he heard the shot and saw his mother fall."
Dias said she received a call from her grandson after the incident.
"He said, ‘Grandma, my mom’s been shot!’ I tried to give her CPR. He went to the neighbor's, 'Please call 911! Call 911! My mother’s been shot."
Crump said he wants to see the manslaughter charges increased to murder.
"There’s evidence there to increase the charges, especially when you think about what happened, with her berating the children with racial epithets and profanity."
Dias is trying to stay strong for her grandchildren. She said AJ was a single mom, who worked overtime at McDonald's. She leaves behind four young children, ages 3 to 12.
"Her kids were everything to her and that’s all been ripped away from her and her four children."
AJ's funeral will take place on Monday at Immerse Church and will be open to the public. Rev. Al Sharpton will do the eulogy.
Meanwhile, Crump said they need to get rid of the Stand Your Ground law or update it, so an arrest can happen immediately.