Who Was AJ Owens? Florida Mother Shot And Killed By A Neighbor

Authorities and a family attorney in Florida reported that AJ Owens, the mother of four was shot and killed after a long fight with a neighbor who had complained about the victim’s kids playing outside.

Who Was AJ Owens? What Happened To Her?

According to Marion County, Florida, Sheriff Billy Woods, deputies who responded to a trespassing report on Friday night discovered a woman who had been shot.

The investigators identified the woman as 35-year-old AJ Owens, a mother of four children. Late on Friday, deputies received a 911 call to a trespassing incident at a home on SW 108th Lane in Ocala, Florida.

When deputies arrived, they discovered Ajike “AJ” Shantrell Owens with gunshot wounds. Owens was taken to the hospital, where she later passed away.

Sheriff Woods stated that AJ Owens and the unidentified neighbor had been at odds for a long time. 

He added that, as per the Stand Your Ground Law, the neighbor has claimed that the shooting was done in self-defense. No charges or arrests have been made against that neighbor.

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From Dispute To Fatal Shooting

Sheriff Woods stated that there had been a dispute between the neighbor and the children of Owen before the shooting.

It appears that the neighbor threw a pair of skates toward the children, and a youngster was hit by the skates. 

This is Ajike “AJ” Owens — a mother of 4 fatally shot after she reportedly knocked on the door of a white woman’s residence to retrieve her child’s iPad. It’s believed that Owens’ children accidentally left the device behind in a field they were playing in, & the woman took it. pic.twitter.com/jfC6JJdQCS

— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) June 5, 2023

The shooter, who was also a woman, had a dispute with the children of Owen. According to the sheriff’s office incident report, a witness informed officers there had been an argument over a child’s tablet computer before the gunman threw the skates at the kids. 

After that incident, one of the kids returned to their house and reported the incident to the other, who then went to the neighbor’s house to confront the lady.

The shooter said that there was a lot of aggressiveness on both sides exchanged before AJ Owens was fatally shot through the door. 

According to the reports from the witnesses, Owen walked to the shooter’s house to question her dispute with the children. She knocked on the door of the shooter before being fatally shot by her. 

Who Is The Suspect?

The suspect is cooperating with the police officers and it hasn’t resulted in any arrests. Authorities have not yet released the name or any other identifying information.

However, according to a  news release from his office on Monday, Ben Crump, one of the attorneys representing the family, identified her as a 58 years old White woman.

The victim’s mother claimed during a separate news conference conducted by Owen’s family legal counsel that the neighbor who murdered her daughter had used racist language against the entire family, including the kids. 

Mother Of The Victim Reacting To The Incident

According to the victim’s mother, Pamela Dias, when Owen attempted to approach the neighbor to question why she was fighting with her children, the door never opened, and Owen was supposedly shot through it. 

Dias stated in the conference that her daughter and the mother of her four grandchildren were shot and killed while her 9-year-old son stood nearby. It’s so heartbreaking for the family to see the four innocent children of Owen left behind. 

The Aftermath Of The Shooting

In a news conference on Monday, officials requested the public to stay calm and patient as they are investigating the case.

They claim that the authorities are looking into finding more evidence such as any potential camera footage and are having conversations with the kids and other people who witnessed the gunshot. 

The sheriff made a mention of the state’s “stand your ground law” in response to criticism regarding how long the investigation and potential charges are taking.

The state has a law that suggests one to react with force if someone feels they are in danger of being gravely harmed by an attacker. 

According to reports, the authorities are looking into the murder more deeply to find more witnesses and evidence, so that the Owen family can have a strong legal hold to bring the culprit before the court. 

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