Fox News Flash top headlines for February 22
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Teenage TikTok star Ava Majury awoke one night to the sound of a shotgun blast tearing through her front door in Naples, Florida – when, in her words, a Maryland teen showed up "and tried to murder" her family in July 2021.
Her dad, a former New Jersey police officer, subsequently shot and killed the trespasser – an 18-year-old alleged stalker who’d been following Ava for months on social media and hounding her for pictures.
Prior to his arrival on her doorstep, the 15-year-old TikToker says she blocked him in response to inappropriate requests for "explicit content" and that he was harassing her and her friends.
Teen TikTok star’s father fatally shot armed stalker at their home (https://www.instagram.com/ava.majury/?hl=en)
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Under Florida’ "Stand Your Ground" law, Rob Majury wasn’t charged in connection with the incident – but Ava is due back in court Monday to testify at a hearing against a different alleged stalker.
Following the deadly exchange of gunfire on her front lawn, another boy allegedly began stalking and intimidating the 15-year-old girl at school, according to a spokesperson for the Majurys’s legal team. His identity is being withheld because he is a juvenile.
"Social media can connect people of all walks of life and create a sense of community," she said in a statement Tuesday. "But I’m telling my story so that young people and parents are also aware of the dangers of social media."
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The second alleged stalker, a juvenile from Naples, had been in touch with the Maryland teen and was allegedly intimidating and following Ava by December, according to the New York Times.
A video shared by another classmate showed him shooting a gun at a range and prompted Ava to begin homeschooling out of concern for her safety. Her family’s lawyers filed a stalking case in Collier County court.
The family hopes to obtain an injunction for protection Monday so she can return to class.
"The hearing was delayed, and initially they wouldn’t let Ava testify, but she is testifying at this hearing," the spokesperson told Fox News Digital Tuesday. "We’re hoping that’s a big development that could help her in getting the injunction."
Her lawyers are also hoping to obtain video evidence in connection with the stalking case, according to one of her attorneys, Lanny Davis.
"She is genuinely afraid for her safety," he said in a statement. "It is a shame that it too often seems it takes a tragedy for everyone to ask: Why didn’t we act sooner?"
For her part, Ava says she’s hoping to use her experience as a learning tool for other people – of all ages -- experiencing cyberstalking, harassment or threats of violence online that could manifest in real life.
"I could never have imagined my innocent posts would result in a stranger showing up at my front door with a shotgun," she said. "I urge young people and parents to immediately report any threat or signal of violence, and not wait until it’s too late."
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Ava’s parents, Rob and Kim Majury, are appealing to law enforcement, parents and other children to take the incident seriously and be on the lookout for threatening online behavior.
"As parents, all that we’ve ever wanted is the best for Ava," Rob and Kim Majury said in a joint statement. "While becoming social media famous was not in the plan, we support our daughter’s endeavors entirely. Never in our wildest dreams did we think a fun pastime could lead to a near-death experience."
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