Ocala, FL– A mother of four was fatally shot by her neighbor after walking over to the neighbor’s apartment to confront her about yelling at her children.
The incident occurred on Friday in Ocala, Florida.
Officials say they responded to a trespassing phone call from the neighbor and arrived at the home to find 35-year-old Ajike Owens suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
She was taken to an area hospital where she later died.
According to the report, Owens’ children were playing in a field near the apartment when the neighbor told authorities she yelled at the children.
The shooter says Owens walked over to her apartment with her 9-year-old son and began banging on the door. The women who had been feuding for about 2 1/2 years, then got into an argument and Owens was shot through the door.
Authorities say they’ve been called to the residence about half a dozen times due to the women both threatening each other and banging on the walls or doors:
“I wish our shooter would have called us instead of taking actions into her own hands,” Woods said. “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.”
No arrests have been made according to the Sheriff’s Office, because they must investigate possible self-defense claims before they can move forward with any possible criminal charges.
Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing Owens’ family, says that the neighbor had been yelling racial slurs at the children before Owens went over to the apartment.
Authorities did not report any racial slurs, however, they did report that all of the information they have right now is from the shooter.
Officials say they want Owen’s 9-year-old son to speak to a child therapist before asking him what he witnessed. Authorities have also not spoken with the other children.
Owens’ mother, Pamela Dias says she is seeking justice for her family:
“My daughter, my grandchildren’s mother, was shot and killed with her 9-year-old son standing next to her,” Dias said. “She had no weapon. She posed no imminent threat to anyone.”
The Sheriff’s Office is currently working with the State Attorney’s Office to determine if this is a “stand your ground” case or a criminal case.