An Iowa man is facing homicide charges in Tennessee after allegedly opening fire on his girlfriend and her five children, killing one.
Metropolitan Nashville Police arrested Jovian T. Smith, 26, after he allegedly shot his 41-year-old girlfriend and her five children on Friday night. One of the children, a four-year-old girl, died from her injuries. Smith is currently in custody with a $2.6 million bond.
Police said the mother and her four surviving children were taken to the hospital with serious injuries, with the exception of one child who was “not struck.”
According to WZTV, a local Fox affiliate in Nashville, the alleged shooting occurred after a domestic dispute between Smith and the woman, who has yet to be identified by police. The couple and the woman’s five children, ages one to thirteen, were all from Iowa and visiting family in Nashville.
According to police, the seven passengers were riding in a Dodge minivan when an argument between Smith and his girlfriend escalated into a physical altercation. Smith allegedly grabbed the woman’s phone and threw it out the window of the van. He also allegedly attempted to grab the steering wheel of the van.
According to WZTV, the woman was able to stop the vehicle on a suburban road, at which point Smith allegedly opened fire, hitting her multiple times. She was able to escape the van and run for help, but Smith allegedly turned his gun on the children and fired several shots at them while they were still inside the van.
According to police, each of the four children who were hit received multiple gunshot wounds. Two children remain in critical condition.
According to police, Smith pursued the woman on foot while she ran door to door seeking assistance. Police responded quickly and apprehended Smith upon arrival. According to reports, the woman is still in serious condition in the hospital.
Smith was charged with one criminal homicide, five attempted criminal homicides, three aggravated assaults with a deadly weapon, and one aggravated burglary. He is currently detained at Nashville’s Downtown Detention Center on a $2.6 million bond.
