NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Police say a 26-year-old Iowa man is being held on a $2.6 million bond after allegedly shooting his girlfriend and her five children in Nashville, leaving one child dead and others critically injured.
Investigators say Jovien Smith was involved in a verbal altercation with his 41-year-old girlfriend while she was driving to a family member's home they were visiting in Nashville this weekend.
During the dispute, Smith threw the woman's cell phone out of the window and attempted to grab the steering wheel of the Dodge minivan to cause a crash.
The woman safely stopped the vehicle on the side of the road before Smith produced a pistol and began firing at her, striking her multiple times. She ran to nearby homes for help.
Smith then turned toward the five children in the vehicle and fired, striking four of them multiple times.
After firing on the children, Smith, still armed with his pistol, continued to chase the 41-year-old woman as she sought assistance at nearby homes. Madison Precinct officers quickly arrived on the scene and apprehended him.
All five children were transported to Vanderbilt Pediatrics, where a 4-year-old girl died from her injuries. Two other children, ages 7 and 1, remain in critical condition.
The woman was transported to Skyline Medical Center, where she remains hospitalized with serious injuries.
Smith multiple charges, including criminal homicide and five counts of attempted homicide.
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