- FLORIDA, USA – A Nigerian mother, Ajike Owens, was shot dead by her neighbour in Florida, United States, following a dispute over her child’s iPad.
The tragic incident took place in front of her home, within a housing complex in Ocala, Florida.
The 35-year-old mother of four, popularly known as ‘AJ’, was fatally shot in the presence of her 9-year-old son, according to a tweet from civil rights lawyer, Ben Crump, on Monday, June 5, 2023.
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
Crump claims that the shooter, a 58-year-old woman who had allegedly lodged numerous complaints about Owens’ children playing outside, has not been arrested due to Florida’s ‘stand your ground’ law.
He described the incident as an “unjust killing.”
Marion County Sheriff, Billy Woods, revealed during a press conference on Monday, June 6, 2023, that the deadly encounter appeared to be the climax of an ongoing feud between the neighbours.
He stated that deputies had been called to the address six to eight times in the past two and a half years.
Woods could not confirm whether Owens was trying to recover an iPad when she was shot, but he did say that the shooter had thrown a pair of skates at Owens’ children prior to the fatal altercation.
The sheriff expressed regret that both parties didn’t call the authorities before the incident escalated.
He did not disclose the shooter’s identity but confirmed she was being cooperative with the ongoing investigation.
Woods urged for patience from the community while investigations continue, noting that some children who witnessed the incident are yet to be interviewed.
Eyewitnesses, according to the Ocala Star-Banner, recounted that several children were playing on the grass in front of a duplex when a female resident threw something at them, picked up an iPad, and went back inside her unit.
Upon hearing of this from one of her children, Owens reportedly confronted the woman at her door. After a heated exchange, Owens was shot through the door, according to Sheriff Woods.
