A white American woman was arrested in Florida on Tuesday, four days after she killed a black mother in a neighborhood dispute.
Susan Lorins has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for murder, the Marion County Sheriff’s Department said, which delayed arresting the suspect because of a controversial law in place in the southeastern state.
On Friday night, the 58-year-old woman shot and killed Ajike Owens, 35, in a long-running dispute over the latter’s four children, according to their statement.
That day, they were playing on a field near Susan Lorins’ home in Ocala. According to a witness, she yelled at them before throwing a roller skate, which hit one of the boys. His 12-year-old brother then rang the neighbor’s doorbell, who chased him away with an umbrella.
He complained to his mother, who went to the 50-year-old, knocked on the door and asked her to leave. Instead, it burned. Ajik Owens was shot in the chest in front of his ten-year-old son.
It took four days to arrest the shooter because he used the so-called “stand your ground” law, which allows a person to use deadly force if they are in immediate danger, even if there is another possibility of death. For example retreats.
Susan Lorins testified that her neighbor had tried to force her door open and that she had already assaulted her in the past.
After collecting testimony, CCTV footage and other materials, the sheriff’s department said, “investigators were able to establish that Ms. Lorins’ actions were not reasonable under Florida law.”
Attorneys for Ajik Owens’ family, which had been calling for his arrest since Friday, said they were relieved. “However, we are concerned that it has taken so long for him to be held accountable,” Ben Crump and Anthony Thomas added in a statement.
The “Stand Your Ground” law already slowed the trial of an octogenarian in Missouri who accidentally shot and killed a black teenager on his doorstep in April, they recalled, prompting calls to repeal the antiquated laws. .”
