The fatal shooting of Ajike Owens by her neighbor reignited national debate over Florida's stand-your-ground law and racial bias in self-defense cases.
Key Facts
- Victim
- Ajike 'A.J.' Owens, age 35
- Shooter
- Susan Louise Lorincz, age 58
- Date of shooting
- June 2, 2023
- Lorincz arrested
- June 6, 2023
- Verdict
- Guilty of manslaughter with a firearm (August 2024)
- Sentence
- 25 years in prison (November 2024)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
An altercation between Ajike Owens's children and neighbor Susan Lorincz in a grassy area near their homes preceded the shooting. Owens went to Lorincz's front door, and Marion County deputies were already responding to a Lorincz-initiated trespassing complaint when the situation escalated.
On June 2, 2023, while Owens stood outside Lorincz's windowless front door, Lorincz fired a single shot through it, striking Owens in the chest. Deputies arriving on scene found Owens with a gunshot wound; she was transported to a local hospital and pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Lorincz was arrested on June 6, 2023, and charged with manslaughter and related offenses. The case drew national attention and prompted civil rights advocates including attorney Benjamin Crump to call out racial disparities in stand-your-ground law enforcement. Lorincz was convicted in August 2024 and sentenced to 25 years in prison that November.