Ajike “AJ” Owens. | Source: Ben Crump
The funeral for a Black mother of four who was gunned down by her apparently racist white neighbor is set to take place a little more than a week after the deadly confrontation in their north Florida community.
Ajike “AJ” Owens will be laid to rest beginning with a homegoing service set to begin late Monday morning in the city of Ocala, where the 35-year-old lived until her fatal confrontation with Susan Lorincz on the night of June 2.
For those not able to pay their respects in person, there may be a variety of ways to watch Owens’ funeral online. Keep reading to find those possible options.
Ajike Owens’ funeral
Owens’ funeral is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Monday (June 12), at Meadowbrook Church at 4741 SW 20th Street in Ocala.
Owens will be eulogized by civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has been retained by Owens’ family, is slated to deliver a call for justice at the funeral.
Owens’ funeral was announced just hours after Lorincz, 58, was arrested on Tuesday afternoon. Lorincz has been charged with manslaughter with a firearm, culpable negligence, battery and two counts of assault.
Lorincz was arrested more than 96 hours after she killed Owens. Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods attributed the delay to Florida being a “stand your ground” state with a law that affords citizens the legal right to defend themselves with lethal force.
The shooting
Owens was killed after Lorincz shot through her own front door while being confronted over an iPad that was taken from Owens’ children, officials said.
Crump has maintained in allegations to the media that Owens’ children were playing when Lorincz told them to get off her property. When the children left, they also left behind an iPad. After going home to tell their mother, Owens went to Lorincz’s home, knocked on the door and was promptly shot through Lorincz’s door. Owens was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. Lorincz later admitted to calling Owens’ children racial slurs, something neighbors have said she was known for in the community.
How to help Owens’ family
With a surging GoFundMe account having already exceeded a quarter of a million dollars, Owens’ family also created a website in which supporters can choose from six different ways to get involved. The site also allows invites people to sign a petition demanding a thorough investigation and grand jury process that delivers full accountability, including upgrading Lorincz’s charges to second-degree murder. The petition also demands the repeal of Florida’s Stand Your Ground laws.
Lastly, the site provides a link to important information on how you can take action against Florida’s Stand Your Ground Laws while promoting common-sense gun policies.
How to watch Owens’ funeral
For those interested in viewing Owens’ funeral online, Meadowbrook Church has a YouTube page expected to be live and stream the homegoing service Monday morning. Meadowbrook Church’s YouTube page can be found by clicking here.
There is also a chance that Meadowbrook Church could go live on its Facebook page and stream Owens’ funeral live there. You can find Meadowbrook Church’s Facebook page by clicking here.
Rev. Sharpton’s Instagram page is expected to be live during the funeral, as well. You can find Sharpton’s Instagram page by clicking here.
Florida news outlet WCJB, which has been leading local coverage of Owens’ killing, could also stream Owens’ funeral live via its website, which offers live streams. You can find WCJB’s livestream page on its website by clicking here.
NewsOne will update this post with any additional live-streaming options for Ajike Owens’ funeral as they become available.
SEE ALSO:
Coincidence? Ajike Owens Killed By White Woman Amid NAACP Florida Advisory For Black Folks
