The white woman accused of fatally shooting 35-year-old Ajike “AJ” Owens formally faces manslaughter charges over her death. Florida State Attorney William Gladson charged Susan Lorincz with one count of manslaughter with a firearm and one count of assault.
Lorincz fatally shot Owens, a Black mother of four, earlier this month after yelling at Owens’ children for playing in a nearby field. After Owens went to the 58-year-old’s residence to confront her, Lorincz fired a gun from behind her closed door, striking and killing Owens.
Gladson claimed that charges against Lorincz did not rise to the level of second-degree murder because the criteria for “depraved mind” was not met. According to an example illustrating the charge in Florida’s own statutes, that could include violent behavior like firing a gun with no regard for the outcome but without premeditation.
Owens’ family hopes for Lorincz’s charges will be upgraded, however. “All the evidence unequivocally supports the elevation of this charge to second-degree murder,” attorney Anthony Thomas said in a statement.
“We firmly believe that justice demands nothing less. The failure of the prosecutor to charge Susan with what truly reflected her wanton, reckless behavior undermines our ability to even get real accountability. Nevertheless, our resolve remains unwavering, and we will continue to fight.”
According to Gladson, sworn testimony from Owens’ children also factored into his decision-making when charging Lorincz. “The crime of misdemeanor culpable negligence was not filed because there is no evidence to establish that the defendant knew the child was with his mother when she shot the victim in this case,” Gladson’s office noted.
Lorincz remains in the Marion County Jail but Owens’ children must live a lifetime without their mother. A GoFundMe set up originally to help with funeral costs following her death now includes a new fundraising goal and call to action: Putting an end to…
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