Who is Ajike 'AJ' Owens: What we know about Florida mom of 4 allegedly shot by neighbor
OCALA, Fla. - Who is Ajike "AJ" Owens?
The Florida mom died June 2 after she went over to her neighbor's house in Ocala to confront her about a situation involving her kids – and was shot, police said. She was struck in the chest and taken to the hospital, where she died. Her son was reportedly standing next to her when the shooting happened.
Deputies arrested her neighbor, Susan Lorincz, on charges of manslaughter with a firearm, culpable negligence, assault, and battery in Owens' death.
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said it appears that there was a long-standing "neighborhood feud" between Lorincz and Owens over where Owens' children were playing, which reportedly made Lorincz angry over the years. She claims the shooting was self-defense, but authorities said it was not a "justified shooting."
Here is what we know about Ajike Owens.
Ajike ‘AJ’ Owens was a single mother of four
Ajike Owens was a single mom and a mother of four: three boys and a girl. According to friends and family, she absolutely loved her kids and would anything for them.
Best friend: ‘Her smile would light up the room’
During a news conference earlier this week, best friend Kimberly Robinson-Jones opened up about Owens' character.
"When you met Ajike, her smile would light up the room," she said, adding that Owens adored her children. "She made sacrifices as a single mom to be there for them in each and every stages of their lives."
Mom: She was not armed and was not a threat to anyone
Pamela Dias, the mother of Ajike "AJ" Owens, said her daughter was not armed and was not a thread to anyone.
"My daughter, my grand-children's mother was shot and killed with her 9-year-old son standing next to her. She had no weapon. She posted no imminent threat to anyone," she told reporters at a press conference.
"When we say it takes a village, it was a village that raised my baby girl, and I am grateful to each and every one. It is now going to take a village to raise these children," she said.
Sons blame themselves for mom's death
Owens' mom, Pamela Dias, said at a press conference following the arrest of the alleged shooter, that Owens' son believes her death is his fault.
"In his soul, in 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," Dias said.
Susan Lorincz allegedly yelled at the boys because they were playing near her home in a field and threw a rollerblade at one of them. The boys then went and told their mom what happened, and Owens went over to her house to confront her about it, official said.
Dias said her 12-year-old son also blames himself because he couldn't successfully give her CPR. "His words were, ‘Grandma, grandma, I couldn’t save her. I tried to give her CPR. I tried to give her CPR,'" Dias said.
GoFundMe: AJ Owens was involved in kids' football, cheerleading teams
Owens "absolutely lived" for her four children, involving herself as the "Team Mom" in their extracurricular activities including football and cheerleading, according to a GoFundMe.
"She would never want to miss a football game, a practice, cheerleading – she was there," Robinson-Jones said about Owens and her relationship with her children. "They were her world. They were her everything."
In her professional life, Owens was reportedly a manager in the restaurant and hospitality industry.
Deadly shooting: What happened
Shortly before 9 p.m. on June 2, deputies responded to a neighborhood in Ocala in reference to a trespassing call, following by reports of a shooting.
The Marion County Sheriff's Office said Lorincz called 911 to report that Owens' kids were playing near her property and she believed they were trespassing. Earlier in the day, Lorincz yelled at the kids and later threw a rollerblade, hitting one of them in the toe.
The boys then went back to their house to tell their mom what happened, according to the arrest affidavit.
Lorincz called 911 prior to the shooting and said Owens was banging on her door and wouldn't stop. She told 911 that Owens was going to break down her door.
Minutes later, she made another emotional 911 call: "Oh my god, this lady just tried to break down my door. I shot through the door."
The affidavit said Owens was shot in the chest. She was taken to the hospital where she died.
Neighbors told deputies that Lorincz was known to yell at the children and, according to one neighbor, repeatedly made false police reports, the report said.