Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods mentioned at a news convention Monday that deputies responding to a trespassing name at an Ocala dwelling on Friday night time discovered Ajike Owens affected by gunshot wounds.
The 35-year-old mom of 4 was taken to a close-by hospital, the place she died. Ocala is about 110km northwest of Orlando.
“I wish our shooter would have called us instead of taking actions into her own hands,” Woods mentioned.
“I wish Ms Owens would have called us in the hopes we could have never gotten to the point at which we are here today.”
Since January 2021, Woods mentioned, deputies have responded at the very least a half-dozen occasions in reference to the feuding between Owens and the girl who ultimately shot her. The sheriff’s workplace hasn’t arrested or recognized the shooter.
Woods mentioned detectives are working with the State Attorney’s Office, and so they should examine potential self-defence claims earlier than they will transfer ahead with any potential felony expenses.
The sheriff identified that due to Florida’s “stand your ground” legislation, he cannot legally make an arrest until he can show the shooter didn’t act in self-defence.
Before the capturing, Owens’ youngsters had been taking part in in a discipline close to the shooter’s condo, officers mentioned. At some level, the girl yelled on the youngsters and threw a pair of skates, which hit one of many youngsters, Woods mentioned.
When Owens later confronted the girl at her condo, an argument ensued, and the girl shot Owens by way of the entrance door, investigators mentioned.
Woods mentioned they have not interviewed Owens’ youngsters, who witnessed the capturing, as a result of investigators need little one specialists to work with the kids. So a lot of the info the deputies have is coming from the shooter, Woods mentioned.
“There was a lot of aggressiveness from both of them, back and forth,” Wood said the shooter told investigators.
“Whether it be banging on the doors, banging on the walls and threats being made. And then at that moment is when Ms Owens was shot through the door.”
Civil rights legal professional Benjamin Crump, who’s representing Owens’ household, mentioned in a press release that the shooter had been yelling racial slurs on the youngsters earlier than the confrontation with their mom. Owens and her youngsters are Black.
The sheriff’s workplace hasn’t confirmed there have been slurs uttered or mentioned whether or not race was an element within the capturing.
Woods was joined at his news convention by neighborhood leaders and an area legal professional retained by the household, Anthony Thomas. Their singular message was a name for endurance whereas the sheriff’s workplace performed its investigation.
During a vigil with the household later Monday, Thomas mentioned the sheriff had promised him essentially the most skilled service that he and his deputies may present, and Thomas plans to carry the company to that.
During the identical gathering, Owens’ mom, Pamela Dias, mentioned that she was searching for justice for her daughter and her grandchildren.
“My daughter, my grandchildren’s mother, was shot and killed with her nine-year-old son standing next to her,” Dias said.
“She had no weapon. She posed no imminent threat to anyone.”
Source: www.9news.com.au
