Crime
26-Year-Old Jovien Smith Opens Fire on Mother and Five Children in Madison, 4-Year-Old Girl Killed
MADISON, TN – A Davenport, Iowa man is in custody following a horrific shooting in a Nashville suburb that claimed the life of a young child and left multiple family members wounded.
Authorities say 26-year-old Jovien Smith is being held on a $2.6 million bond after he allegedly shot his girlfriend and four of her five children late Saturday night during a visit to Tennessee.
The incident occurred on Westchester Drive in Madison, where Smith and his partner—a 41-year-old woman from Illinois—were traveling in a Dodge minivan with her five children as part of a weekend family visit.
According to Metro Nashville Police, the couple began arguing inside the vehicle while driving.
At some point during the escalating altercation, Smith reportedly threw the woman’s cellphone out the window and attempted to wrestle control of the steering wheel, apparently trying to cause a crash.
The woman managed to pull the minivan over safely to the roadside. It was then, police say, that Smith produced a firearm and opened fire, shooting the woman multiple times at close range.
Despite her injuries, she was able to flee the vehicle and run toward nearby homes seeking help.
Tragically, Smith then turned the gun on the children. Four of the five juveniles in the van were shot. All victims were transported to Vanderbilt Pediatrics Children’s Hospital, where a 4-year-old girl succumbed to her injuries.
A 7-year-old and a 1-year-old remain in critical condition, while the condition of the fifth child has not been disclosed publicly.
After firing at the children, Smith allegedly pursued his injured partner on foot as she sought assistance.
Officers from the Madison Police Precinct responded swiftly to 911 calls and took Smith into custody at the scene without further incident.
The woman was airlifted to Skyline Medical Center, where she remains hospitalized with serious but stable injuries.
Smith now faces a lengthy list of charges, including:
- One count of felony murder
- Five counts of attempted murder
- Three counts of aggravated assault
- One count of aggravated robbery
Investigators continue to work on gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses.
Authorities have not yet released a possible motive beyond the reported domestic dispute, and no prior criminal history has been publicly disclosed at this time.
The case has deeply shaken the local community, with law enforcement and child advocacy groups expressing outrage and grief over the violent attack against a mother and her children.
Crime
Victims Identified in Deadly Robeson County Mass Shooting
Two Dead, 13 Injured in Mass Shooting at Large Party in Robeson County, North Carolina
ROBESON COUNTY, N.C. — A late-night party in eastern North Carolina turned deadly early Saturday morning when gunfire erupted, leaving two people dead and 13 others injured, according to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Burnis Wilkins confirmed that deputies were called to the scene on Dixon Drive, just outside the town of Maxton, at approximately 3:00 a.m. following reports of a shooting at a large outdoor gathering attended by more than 150 people.
When deputies arrived, chaos had already unfolded — witnesses said over 150 individuals fled the area before law enforcement could secure the scene.
Authorities identified the deceased victims as Jessie Locklear and his son Nehemiah Locklear.
Several other victims sustained critical injuries and were transported to area hospitals for emergency treatment.
Sheriff Wilkins stated that, based on preliminary findings, the shooting appears to have been an isolated incident, and there is no ongoing threat to the wider community.
The Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from multiple agencies, continues to investigate the circumstances that led to the violence.
Detectives are working to determine the motive and identify all parties involved.
Authorities are urging anyone with information—or anyone who attended the gathering and witnessed the incident—to contact the Robeson County Sheriff’s Investigators at 910-671-3100.
“We know there were many people present when this occurred,” Sheriff Wilkins said. “If you saw something or know something, we need you to come forward to help bring justice to the victims and their families.”