NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A 26-year-old Iowa man is being held on a $2.6 million bond after allegedly shooting his girlfriend and four of her five children in Nashville. A 4-year-old girl died from her injuries, while the mother and three other children remain hospitalized.
Metro Nashville Police say Jovien Smith of Davenport, Iowa, was arguing with his 41-year-old girlfriend from Illinois while she was driving to a family member's home in Nashville Saturday night.
During the dispute, police say Smith threw his girlfriend's cell phone out of the window and attempted to grab the steering wheel of the minivan to cause a crash. His girlfriend safely stopped the van on the side of Westchester Drive and Brick Church Pike before Smith allegedly pulled out a pistol and began firing at her.
The mother was shot multiple times before Smith turned the gun toward her five children and fired several times, according to police. Four of the five children were struck multiple times.
A 7-year-old and a 1-year-old remain in critical condition. A 13-year-old is in stable condition, while a 3-year-old boy was not hit. The 4-year-old girl did not survive her injuries.
After the shooting, the mother escaped from the van to run to nearby homes for help.
"Them kids didn't deserve that. No kid deserves that. No kid, no kid," said Toshia, a local resident who lives near where the shooting occurred.
Toshia, who did not want to show her face, said the tragedy happened right in front of her Bellshire home.
"The only thing I could do is just break down," Toshia said. "That's a hurtful feeling, knowing that someone does this to some kids."
Though she doesn't know the victims, Toshia felt compelled to create a memorial at the site.
"This hit home," Toshia said. "So, when I found out, I just went and got some artificial flowers and put it right there. I came out later on that day, later on yesterday, someone put another set of flowers. Came out this morning, it's a balloon with a little baby doll on it."
As the memorial grows, Toshia hopes the prayers and hope for healing can grow for a mother and her children who need it so much.
"They are thought about, and they are loved," Toshia said.
According to an arrest warrant, the mother told police she and Smith had only been dating since January, and the argument that led to the shooting was over their relationship possibly coming to an end.
This story was reported on-air and written by Kelsey Gibbs and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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