Broward County, FL – On Friday, June 2, 2023 in Ocala, FL, Ajike “AJ” Owens was shot and murdered in front of her children by neighbor, Susan Lorincz. After four days, Susan Lorincz, has finally been arrested, taken into custody and charged with manslaughter with a firearm, culpable negligence, battery, and two counts of assault, with the manslaughter charge being punishable by up to 30 years in prison. In response to this tragedy, Florida Senator Rosalind Osgood (D-Broward County) issued the following statement Wednesday:
“I am heartbroken. AJ attended Broward County Public Schools and was a part of our Youth Ministry at Mount Olive Baptist Church, here in Fort Lauderdale, FL, when she was just a child. Seeing a member of my community, senselessly lose her life to gun violence and racial hatred is something I can’t even describe. AJ was a daughter, a friend, but most of all she was a devoted mother. AJ was murdered defending her nine-year-old child from a neighbor named Susan Lorincz who harassed AJ and her children and had called them racial slurs prior to the killing. AJ did not pose a threat and Susan Lorincz’s life was not in imminent danger. Susan shot AJ through a closed door. To use Florida’s harmful Stand Your Ground law, which allows people to meet force with force if they believe they or someone else is in danger of being seriously harmed by an assailant, is a blatant attempt to not hold Lorincz accountable for the murder of AJ Owens. AJ’s unjust murder is a reminder of the rise of hate crimes and continued lack of appreciation for the valuable contributions black women make every day in America.”
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About Senator Osgood
A proud Broward County native and Fort Lauderdale High School graduate, Dr. Osgood serves as a member of the Florida State Senate, representing District 32. To date, Dr. Osgood has over 22 years of background in non-profit management where she has served as CEO of the Mount Olive Development Corporation (MODCO), Associate Minister at New Mount Olive Baptist Church, Former Adjunct Professor at Nova Southeastern University Huizenga School of Business, and member of the Broward County School Board’s District 5 representative where she served as Chair twice, her leadership advances to the Boards of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Fort Lauderdale Chapter of the Links, Inc., and the Broward Behavioral Health Coalition Board. Her motto remains, “Overcome Obstacles by Optimizing Opportunities”
Originally published at https://www.flsenate.gov/Media/PressReleases/Show/4476
