An Iowa man, 26-year-old Jovien T. Smith, has been accused of shooting his girlfriend and her five children in Nashville, Tennessee. As a result of the alleged shooting, one of the mother’s children, a 4-year-old girl, died.
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According to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD), the incident took place on Saturday, June 14, at around 10 p.m. While the mother and her five children were visiting family from Iowa, Smith allegedly shot at them while driving in a Dodge minivan on Westchester Drive.
According to WZTV, a verbal argument between Smith and his girlfriend, a 41-year-old woman, quickly escalated. Smith allegedly threw the mother’s cellphone off a window and even attempted to grab the Dodge’s steering wheel. Then, the shooting allegedly took place once the woman managed to pull over.
Smith allegedly shot the woman multiple times, who fled the area looking for help. The 26-year-old man, according to police, then fired multiple shots at the woman’s five children. As per the MNPD, four out of the five children were shot.
Out of the four, two children, ages 7 and 1, remain in critical condition at Vanderbilt Pediatrics. A 13-year-old is in stable condition. Sadly, a 4-year-old girl succumbed to her injuries.
Arrested And Charged
After the shooting, Smith allegedly pursued the running woman on foot as she attempted to seek help at the neighboring houses. Police officers managed to arrive at the scene on time and took him into custody. The 41-year-old woman, who has not been named, was rushed to Skyline Medical Center, having sustained serious injuries.
Jovien T. Smith was charged with one count of criminal homicide, five counts of attempted criminal homicide, three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and one count of aggravated burglary. He is currently being held at Nashville’s Downtown Detention Center on a $2.6 million bond.
Additionally, WZTV reports that Smith is under a 12-hour domestic violence hold. He is subject to a court order and mandatory DNA testing.
If the criminal homicide charge against Smith is elevated to first-degree murder and he is found guilty, he could face the death penalty or life in prison in Tennessee.