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Background: A photo of the scene on Saturday in Nashville, Tenn. (Metro Nashville Police Department). Inset: Jovian T. Smith (Metro Nashville Police Department).
An Iowa man faces homicide charges in Tennessee after he allegedly opened fire on his girlfriend and her five children, killing one of them.
Jovian T. Smith, 26, was arrested by Metropolitan Nashville Police, who accused him of allegedly shooting his 41-year-old girlfriend and her five children on Friday night. One of those children, a 4-year-old girl, died from her injuries. Smith is currently in custody on a $2.6 million bond.
Police said that the mother and her four surviving children were taken to the hospital with serious injuries except for one child who was “not struck.”
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WZTV, a local Fox affiliate based in Nashville reported that the alleged shooting occurred following a domestic dispute between Smith and the woman, who was not identified by police. The couple and the woman’s five children — who ranged in age from 1 to 13 years old — were all from Iowa and visiting family in the Nashville area.
The seven passengers were traveling in a Dodge minivan when, according to police, an argument between Smith and his girlfriend sparked a physical altercation. Smith reportedly grabbed the woman’s phone and threw it out the window of the van. He also allegedly tried to grab the steering wheel of the van.
WZTV reported that the woman was able to pull the vehicle over on a suburban road, at which point Smith allegedly opened fire on her, hitting her multiple times. She was able to escape the van to run for help, but while she ran, Smith then allegedly turned his gun on the children, firing several shots at them while inside the van.
Police said that the four children who were hit sustained several gunshot wounds each. Two children remain in critical condition.
According to police, Smith continued to pursue the woman on foot while she ran door to door for help. Police responded to the scene quickly and apprehended Smith upon arrival. The woman reportedly remains hospitalized in serious condition.
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 in custody at Nashville’s Downtown Detention Center, held on $2.6 million bond.
