BREAKING: Tragedy Strikes as Mother and Five Children Shot in Minivan on Westchester Drive — One Child Dead, Suspect in Custody
NASHVILLE, TN — A horrifying act of domestic violence has left a family shattered after a mother and her five children were shot while sitting in their minivan on Westchester Drive around 10 p.m. Saturday night. Authorities say the gunman was the mother’s 26-year-old boyfriend, Jovien Smith, who is now in custody and facing multiple felony charges. The shooting, which occurred during what police described as a heated argument, has claimed the life of a 4-year-old girl and critically injured multiple family members.
Victims Were Visiting From Iowa
According to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, the victims — a 41-year-old woman and her five children — were visiting family from Davenport, Iowa when the violence erupted. The mother, whose name has not yet been released publicly, was in a Dodge minivan with her children and boyfriend, Jovien Smith, when the altercation turned deadly.
Police say that in the midst of the argument, Smith pulled out a gun and opened fire inside the vehicle, striking all but one of the children and their mother. The scene was described by first responders as chaotic and devastating.
A 4-year-old girl was tragically pronounced dead at the scene. Two other children, ages 7 and 1, were rushed to Vanderbilt Pediatric Hospital, where they remain in critical condition. A 13-year-old sibling was also injured but is reported to be in stable condition. Miraculously, one child was not physically injured during the attack.
Their 41-year-old mother was also shot and remains in serious condition at Skyline Medical Center, according to officials.
Suspect Identified and Charged
Jovien Smith, the alleged shooter, is a 26-year-old resident of Davenport, Iowa. He was taken into custody shortly after the incident without incident. Police say he had been in a relationship with the mother and was accompanying her and the children during the trip to Nashville. Smith is now being held on $2.6 million bond and is expected to face a range of charges, including first-degree murder, attempted murder, and aggravated child abuse.
Authorities confirmed that the shooting took place inside the minivan, parked along Westchester Drive, during a domestic dispute. Officers arrived to find a scene of unspeakable trauma — children bleeding and terrified, their mother barely conscious, and neighbors in shock.
“This is a gut-wrenching tragedy — the kind of violence that cuts at the soul of an entire community,” said a Nashville police spokesperson. “These are innocent children. They were visiting family. They should have been safe.”
Investigation Ongoing
Detectives remain on the scene collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses. The motive behind the argument is still under investigation, but law enforcement believes this was a targeted domestic incident, with no ongoing threat to the public.
Police are working to notify the extended family and provide crisis support to those affected. Child protective services and trauma counselors have also been brought in to support the surviving children and family members.
The case has already sparked outrage among community leaders and child welfare advocates, who are demanding more awareness and intervention strategies to prevent domestic violence that affects children.
Community in Mourning
As word of the tragedy spread through Nashville and back to Iowa, an outpouring of grief and disbelief followed. Friends, neighbors, and local leaders in Davenport have begun organizing vigils and fundraisers to support the family.
“This is a nightmare,” said one family friend. “They were just visiting for the weekend. How can something so horrific happen to such a loving mother and her beautiful children?”
What’s Next
Jovien Smith is expected to be formally charged in the coming days. Prosecutors have indicated that they will pursue the harshest penalties possible given the scale and brutality of the crime.
Meanwhile, the medical team at Vanderbilt Pediatrics is doing everything possible to stabilize the two critically injured children. Hospital staff and chaplains are also helping the family process the trauma and grief.
Help and Support
The Nashville Police Department is asking anyone with additional information or who may have witnessed the incident to come forward. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.
Counseling and support services are being coordinated for local families affected by the incident, and several organizations are already stepping up to help.
In Memory of the Young Life Lost
One child — only 4 years old — lost her life in a place she should have been safest: at her mother’s side. Her name has not yet been released publicly out of respect for the family, but her memory will live on in the hearts of a grieving community.
As this investigation unfolds, the city mourns — and calls once again for an end to the epidemic of domestic and gun violence that continues to claim innocent lives.