OCALA, Fla. — A mother of four was shot and killed by a neighbor in Ocala, Fla., on Friday.
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The family of AJ Owens is asking the Marion County Sheriff’s Office to arrest the shooter, but the Sheriff’s Office says they are still investigating.
Investigators say the shooting happened Friday in the 108 lane east of I-75.
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According to neighbors of Owens and the shooter, it all started with Owens’ children playing in a field next to the shooter’s house Friday evening, which the shooter didn’t like.
Neighbors said the children left an iPad behind and the shooter took it.
When the children went to retrieve it, officers said the shooter threw a pair of skates at the children. Owens then went to confront that person and was shot.
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Her children ran to a neighbor’s house asking them to call the police.
“She’ll come out and just yell at them, call them names, call the police. We’ve all talked to the police about her attitude toward the kids,” said neighbor Ashley Remy.
The shooter told authorities that Owens was banging on doors and yelling when the shooting happened.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office says they are still investigating and will determine if they will file charges once they have all the facts.
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“We are committed to gathering all the facts before making a decision,” Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods said.
Channel 9 legal expert Bill Sheaffer said the sheriff’s hands are tied.
“In order to make an arrest, police would have to establish probable cause that the shooting was not the result of their defense or self-defense,” Sheaffer said, adding that’s nearly impossible right now.
Sheaffer said the law works in his favor since the shooter was in his home.
“Given that the law affords greater protection to a person who is in their home or in an automobile from using deadly force, one could argue that they were justified if they were afraid that this woman would enter their home.”
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