Closing arguments begin in the trial against Susan Lorincz

MARION COUNTY, Fla. – Closing arguments begin Friday in the trial of Susan Lorincz, an Ocala woman accused of shooting her neighbor Ajike “AJ” Owens through the front door of her apartment after an incident involving Owens' children in their neighborhood.

The trial has been going on for three days and numerous witnesses are already on the stand. The jury may reach a verdict on Friday.

Six community members and two alternates took their seats and were sworn in as jurors on Monday. They will now decide, based on all the information they have received over the past three days, whether to believe claims that Lorincz shot Owens out of fear, her defense said.

In an interrogation video released last year by the Marion County Sheriff's Office, Lorincz told investigators that she had been having problems with several neighborhood children who had been disrespectful to her, including Owens' children, who were 3, 7, 9 and 12 at the time of the shooting.

During the trial this week, both prosecutors and defense attorneys said there had been previous encounters between Lorincz and Owens in which police were called, but no arrests were ever made.

A police report from the sheriff's office said Lorincz told investigators on the day of the shooting that she had a headache and that several children were running around screaming near her apartment.

Later that night, as several children continued to play, Lorincz threw a pair of roller skates and hit one of Owens' children, according to the report. When Owens got to Lorincz's house, Lorincz told investigators that Owens was banging on the door so loudly she thought she was going to break it down.

In court, the defense team played the 911 call Lorincz made after the shooting, in which she stated that she was frightened and fired a single shot through her front door.

While the defense claims Lorincz fired in self-defense, the prosecution continues to maintain that there was no immediate danger and that Owens was unarmed.

Although Lorincz chose not to testify at the trial, the defense's evidence included a letter she wrote to Owens' children in which she wrote, “I am so, so sorry. I shot out of fear.”

Lorincz faces several charges, including manslaughter and negligent homicide. If convicted, she faces up to 30 years in prison.