NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A 4-year-old child is dead following a domestic-related shooting that targeted a mother and her five children who were driving to visit family members in Nashville.
According to Metro Police, at 10 p.m. Saturday, the 41-year-old Illinois woman was driving a Dodge minivan with her boyfriend — Jovien Smith, 26, of Davenport, Iowa — and five children in tow.
The couple reportedly got into a verbal altercation, during which Smith threw the woman’s cellphone out of the window and attempted to grab the steering wheel to crash the van. She safely stopped the vehicle on Westchester Drive.
Smith then allegedly pulled out a weapon and opened fire on the woman before turning the gun on the children. The 41-year-old and four children were shot several times. The fifth child was not shot.
The woman got out of the vehicle and ran to nearby houses to call for help. Metro Police said after Smith fired shots at the children, he chased after the woman while still armed. However, officers arrived shortly after the incident began and took him into custody.
The woman and all five children were transported to Nashville hospitals. According to court documents, a 1-year-old boy was shot three times in the stomach and a 7-year-old girl was shot once in the stomach and six times in the legs. Both children remain in critical condition. A 13-year-old girl who was shot twice in the stomach is reported to be in stable condition. The 4-year-old girl died after she was shot in the neck and back.
The mother was shot three times, and remains in the hospital with serious injuries.
Smith was booked into Metro jail on a felony charge for criminal homicide, five counts of felony attempted criminal homicide, three counts of felony aggravated assault and one count of felony aggravated burglary. His bond is set at $2.6 million.