The calls for arresting a woman who is accused of shooting at her neighbor in Florida on Friday are increasing. A nationally-recognized civil rights lawyer has described the incident as “unjustified murder.”
Attorney Ben Crump reported that the children of the victim (identified as Ajike “AJ” Owens) were playing on a field in Ocala, when an unidentified woman, 58 years old, “began yelling and calling them racial slurs.”
Crump’s statement states that after the woman shouted insults at Owens’s children, the children accidentally left behind an iPad, which was taken by the woman.
Owens threw the phone when her child went to get it. The screen cracked and she hit the boy. Crump says that Owens went across the street after she learned what had happened to talk to her neighbor.
Crump stated that the woman knocked at the door and then allegedly shot the door through, striking AJ who died later from her injuries.
At a press conference on Monday, Marion County sheriff Billy Woods didn’t confirm or deny Crump’s version of the events, telling reporters that he wouldn’t “stand here and tell you that what they are putting out is inaccurate.” It’s only that I don’t yet know.
What the Sheriff said he knows:
- The shooter had a long-standing “neighborhood dispute” with Owens over her children.
- Children may have been struck by an unknown object. Was something thrown towards them? Woods confirmed that yes, but it wasn’t directly at them as we are being told. It may have happened to them, he said. “The children can answer a lot of our questions.”
- Owens was shot through the door of the shooter. Owens was shot in the door.
- Owens may have had at least two children who witnessed the shooting that occurred around 9 p.m.
Woods assured Owens’ family that his office would use all the resources it has to bring justice to this case.
He said that he wished the shooter had called him instead of taking action on her own. Investigators are working to determine whether Florida’s Stand Your Groundlaw applies in this shooting.
Floridians are allowed to use deadly force in defense of themselves if they feel they are facing imminent death or danger. This is not limited to when they’re inside their home. It is not necessary for the person who is being threatened to run away.
Woods explained that “that law has specific instructions to us and law enforcement and we cannot make an arrested if we believe or perceive that… could come into play.” The law says this and we must determine if the use of deadly force is justified before we make an arrest.
Pamela Dias said that her daughter, Owens, was acting in a protective manner when she visited her neighbor to find out why she treated her children the way she did.
“The mother as protector of her child, she wanted know what happened. The door was closed and locked. The door was never opened. My daughter was killed by a bullet while her son, age 9, stood next to her. She was not armed. Dias stated that she posed no immediate threat to anyone.
Bishop J. David Stockton III of the Marion County NAACP said that Owens’ death is only the latest example of Blacks living their lives and being met with unreasonable violence.
He said: “The truth is that we have almost reached a point in which Black people are scared to leave their homes.” “Our children and adult deserve to live a life where they don’t live in fear of the neighbors.”
Attorney Anthony D. Thomas who represents the Owens’ family said that the community closely watches how the sheriff’s office conducts the investigation.
Thomas said, “We need to arrest someone.” Thomas said: “Make no mistakes about it. We do support our sheriff. We do support our sheriff.
