Local groups hold vigil for Ajike Owens, an Ocala mother shot and killed by her neighbor

Around 50 community members gathered at the Bridge Community Center in Gainesville Wednesday night to discuss gun violence and memorialize Ajike “AJ” Owens, an Ocala mother of four who was shot and killed by her neighbor.

The event was put on by GNV Bridge, Greater Duval Neighborhood Association, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense, the Alachua County branch of the NAACP, M.A.M.A.’s Club, Beyond Grieving LLC, and the Against All Odds Movement and featured song, dance and poetry tributes to Owens and calls to action regarding gun violence policies and activism.

Owens, a Black woman, was shot and killed by her neighbor Susan Louise Lorincz, a white woman, in June. The neighbor is accused of calling Owens’ children racial slurs and throwing an iPad at one. When Owens went to confront the neighbor, she was shot through the door. Police said her three children were present when they reported to the scene.

Florida Rep. Yvonne Hinson spoke at the event and said she is working in Tallahassee to fight against the laws that allowed Lorincz to go so long without being arrested.

“We are a community that is strong and is standing together to ensure justice is brought for the family of AJ Owens. We are here to call out those who dismiss blatant racism as the trigger on AJ’s death,” she said. “Let us set this record straight once again. AJ was murdered by a racist woman who felt enabled by 'stand your ground,' the recent permitless carry legislation, and her own privilege to shoot an unarmed mother through the front door.”

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Lorincz was not initially arrested for the attack, despite nationwide cries for justice. According to the Marion County Sheriff's Office, Lorincz argues she acted in accordance with Florida’s “stand your ground” law, which protects citizens who act in self-defense. She was eventually arrested four days after the attack.

Hinson said she doesn’t know if Lorincz would have been arrested at all if not for her work calling “some very important people.” She also expressed frustration that Lorincz was charged with second-degree manslaughter, as stating that it should be murder and classified as a hate crime. She said she told the state attorney as much last week.

“According to him, murder two and manslaughter two get the same penalty,” Hinson said. “We're going to be watching. We're going to be monitoring. We’re gonna make sure she gets what's coming to her. This battle is not over. Florida's callous dismissal for the value of all life but most especially Black life has been brought to the attention of the whole country and indeed the whole world.”

Gainesville community activist Chanae Jackson also spoke, calling gun violence a nationwide epidemic that's largely perpetuated through systemic racism, and citing income inequality, segregation and disinvestment in Black communities as factors that contribute to this violence.

“Racism is woven into the fabric of this county and gun violence is one of the many threads that’s destroying us,” she said.

Jackson called for addressing these issues by creating community violence intervention programs, programs that develop anti-violence norms around youth, and the repeal of the “stand your ground” law.

In February, Gainesville leaders declared a gun violence crisis. The city will hold a gun violence summit on Aug. 6 and 7 to discuss issues related to gun violence and work on creating solutions to the crisis. The event will feature stakeholders, community members and nationally-recognized experts, according to the city’s website.

In 2022, Gainesville tallied nine people who were killed with guns. So far in 2023, the city has seen five people., and five people have been killed.

Evelyn Foxx, the president of the Alachua County chapter of the NAACP, urged attendees to vote if they want to see change, as the Republican-led Florida Legislature has done little to address gun violence.

“Hopefully, with all of us working together, we can make a difference,” she said. “I just want you all to stay woke, stay vigilant, keep up with what's going on, and one of the most important things we have to do, we have to vote. And it's because of our apathy we have gotten all of these terrible laws passed, so I encourage everyone to please vote.”

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Gainesville mourns death of AJ Owens, an Ocala woman shot by neighbor