On Monday, the Marion County sheriff gave an update on a deadly shooting from over the weekend.MCSO deputies responded to a shooting on the 1600 block of SW 108th Lane in Ocala around 9 p.m. Friday. When they arrived, deputies located a woman who had been shot. The victim, identified as Ajike “AJ” Owens, was later pronounced dead at the hospital.Related: ‘Her kids were her everything’: Family calls for justice in the shooting of Ocala mother of fourSheriff Billy Woods said multiple people contacted him with “concerns” about the shooting over the weekend. He said there were rumors that the office “wasn’t doing anything” or “wasn’t moving fast enough.””I want the family to know I am here to provide all of my resources to make sure justice is served in this case,” he said. The sheriff indicates the victim’s children–at least some of them–witnessed what happened that night and he says getting information from them needs to be a delicate but necessarily methodical process.The sheriff said there has been an ongoing “neighborhood feud” between the shooter and Owens over Owens’ children. Officials said deputies have been called out to the area six to eight times.“Her children ran to my house, banging on the door. Saying to call the police, that their mother was shot,” Ashley Remy, a neighbor, said. It was around 9 p.m. Friday when kids were playing across from their home on 107th Lane and a neighbor reportedly had an issue with where they were.“She has called the cops just for them playing,” Remy said. “She calls them names.”Whatever happened between the neighbor and kids led the children’s mother to the woman’s door.“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,” Woods said. The sheriff stressed that his agency has more facts to gather. Also elevating the stress of the moment, items were reportedly thrown at the kids, including skates, according to the sheriff.“It was a pair of skates that was thrown at the children,” Woods said. A family friend says Owens was going to retrieve an iPad left behind by one of the kids.“The mother went to get the iPad and you shoot her? Who does that?” Avis Thompson, Owens’ friend, said. She wants investigators to act.“Charge her! You know who did it. Charge her!” Thompson said. “I wish our shooter would have called us instead of taking actions into her own hands,” Woods said. They added that they have more investigative work to do.“What we have to rule out is whether the deadly force was justified or not before we make an arrest,” Woods said. Also at the briefing, local community leaders asked for patience.“Like to get to the crux of the matter of what happened, like to calm all emotions that are running through the community, and let law enforcement and our legal system play it out,” Reginald Landers Jr. said. Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to call the sheriff’s office, as Woods says they are still trying to interview those who saw what happened.Woods said his office has been in contact with the state attorney’s office. He asked that everyone pray for the children because “their lives have changed.” The sheriff says he wants to make sure he has experts on hand who can properly deal with young kids before doing any detailed questioning of them.Owens’ family has retained civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump, who is demanding the unidentified shooter be arrested for what he calls an “unjustified killing.”Woods said his office needs to determine whether the deadly force was necessary before they make an arrest.Attorney Anthony D. Thomas, who is working with Crump, spoke alongside Woods and said he was given full assurance that the office would deliver justice.Top headlines:Florida plane crashes in Virginia with 4 people onboardWildlife officials monitoring bear spotted at Orlando parkCalifornia attorney general says DeSantis responsible for flying migrants to Sacramento
On Monday, the Marion County sheriff gave an update on a deadly shooting from over the weekend.
MCSO deputies responded to a shooting on the 1600 block of SW 108th Lane in Ocala around 9 p.m. Friday. When they arrived, deputies located a woman who had been shot. The victim, identified as Ajike “AJ” Owens, was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Related: ‘Her kids were her everything’: Family calls for justice in the shooting of Ocala mother of four
Sheriff Billy Woods said multiple people contacted him with “concerns” about the shooting over the weekend. He said there were rumors that the office “wasn’t doing anything” or “wasn’t moving fast enough.”
“I want the family to know I am here to provide all of my resources to make sure justice is served in this case,” he said.
The sheriff indicates the victim’s children–at least some of them–witnessed what happened that night and he says getting information from them needs to be a delicate but necessarily methodical process.
The sheriff said there has been an ongoing “neighborhood feud” between the shooter and Owens over Owens’ children. Officials said deputies have been called out to the area six to eight times.
“Her children ran to my house, banging on the door. Saying to call the police, that their mother was shot,” Ashley Remy, a neighbor, said.
It was around 9 p.m. Friday when kids were playing across from their home on 107th Lane and a neighbor reportedly had an issue with where they were.
“She has called the cops just for them playing,” Remy said. “She calls them names.”
Whatever happened between the neighbor and kids led the children’s mother to the woman’s door.
“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,” Woods said.
The sheriff stressed that his agency has more facts to gather. Also elevating the stress of the moment, items were reportedly thrown at the kids, including skates, according to the sheriff.
“It was a pair of skates that was thrown at the children,” Woods said.
A family friend says Owens was going to retrieve an iPad left behind by one of the kids.
“The mother went to get the iPad and you shoot her? Who does that?” Avis Thompson, Owens’ friend, said.
She wants investigators to act.
“Charge her! You know who did it. Charge her!” Thompson said.
“I wish our shooter would have called us instead of taking actions into her own hands,” Woods said.
They added that they have more investigative work to do.
“What we have to rule out is whether the deadly force was justified or not before we make an arrest,” Woods said.
Also at the briefing, local community leaders asked for patience.
“Like to get to the crux of the matter of what happened, like to calm all emotions that are running through the community, and let law enforcement and our legal system play it out,” Reginald Landers Jr. said.
Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to call the sheriff’s office, as Woods says they are still trying to interview those who saw what happened.
Woods said his office has been in contact with the state attorney’s office. He asked that everyone pray for the children because “their lives have changed.” The sheriff says he wants to make sure he has experts on hand who can properly deal with young kids before doing any detailed questioning of them.
Owens’ family has retained civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump, who is demanding the unidentified shooter be arrested for what he calls an “unjustified killing.”
Woods said his office needs to determine whether the deadly force was necessary before they make an arrest.
Attorney Anthony D. Thomas, who is working with Crump, spoke alongside Woods and said he was given full assurance that the office would deliver justice.
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