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The true crime genre has a new medium, or perhaps even a whole new language and grammar: officer-worn camera recordings. Countenances of those harmed, observers and potential offenders loom up to the cameras, sometimes in the harsh glare of headlights or torches as the police arrive, their expressions and tones eloquent of wariness or fear or indignation or suspiciously contrived innocence. And we frequently incidentally glimpse the expressions of the officers themselves, one waiting impassively while the other conducts the inquiry with what occasionally seems like extraordinary diffidence – though maybe this is because they know they are being recorded.

A Growing Trend in Documentary Filmmaking

We have previously seen the streaming service true-crime documentary The Gabby Petito Case, about the slaying of an social media personality by her partner, whose primary focus was body cam footage and in which, as in this film, the police seemed extraordinarily lax with the suspect. There is also the acclaimed short film Incident by Bill Morrison, composed entirely of officer footage. Now comes Geeta Gandbhir’s documentary about the tragic incident of Ajike Owens in Ocala, Florida, a African American woman whose four young kids reportedly bothered and tormented her neighbor, Susan Lorincz. In 2023, after an escalating series of neighborhood conflicts in which the police were repeatedly called, Lorincz fatally shot Owens through her locked door, when the victim went to the neighbor's residence to address her about hurling items at her children.

The Investigation and Legal Context

The investigating authorities found evidence that the suspect had done internet searches into the state's self-defense statutes, which permit residents and others to shoot if there is a reasonable belief of danger. The movie constructs its narrative with the body cam footage generated during the repeated police visits to the scene before the killing, and then at the horrific and chaotic incident site itself – prefaced by 911 audio material of Lorincz contacting authorities in a melodramatically shaky voice. There is also police cell footage of the individual which has a disturbing, unsettling appeal.

Depiction of the Suspect

The documentary does not really imply anything too complicated about the neighbor, or any extenuating circumstance. She is clearly unstable, although the kids are heard calling her “the Karen”, an hurtful taunt. The film is presented as an example of how “stand your ground” laws lead to unnecessary and heartbreaking violence. But the reality of gun ownership and the constitutional right (that historic American constitutional privilege that a late commentator notoriously said made firearm fatalities a price worth paying) is not much highlighted.

Officer Questioning and Gun Culture

It is possible to watch the officer questioning segments here and feel surprised at how minimal concern the police took in this point. When did she buy her gun? Did she receive any instruction on handling it? Was this the first time she discharged the weapon? How was the gun kept in her home? Was it just on the couch, loaded and ready? The police aren’t shown asking any of these undoubtedly important questions (though they may have done in footage that were not included). Or is possessing a firearm so normal it would be like asking about microwaves or bread heaters?

Detention and Consequences

For what appeared to her neighbors a very long time, Lorincz was not even taken into custody and indicted, only detained and even offered a hotel stay away from home for the night (another point of comparison, by the way, with the Gabby Petito case). And when she was finally formally arrested in the detention area, there is an extraordinary sequence in which the individual simply refuses to stand, will not extend her arms for the cuffs, not aggressively, but with the politely self-pitying air of someone whose psychological state means that she just can’t do it. Did the gentle handling up until that point led her to think that this might actually work?

Conclusion and Verdict

It was not successful; and the panel's decision is saved for the closing credits. A very sombre picture of U.S. justice and consequences.