Man, who got angry when his girlfriend told him he was not the father of one of the children they shared and shot her once in the head and once in the leg, was sentenced
Michigan – In a harrowing case of domestic violence in Michigan, a 36-year-old man, identified as V. Smith, has been sentenced to almost three decades in prison after a violent altercation with his girlfriend turned into a near-fatal shooting in front of their children. Smith pleaded guilty to assault with intent to commit murder and two firearms charges in connection to the May 2024 attack.
Smith faced serious charges following the events that unfolded on the night of May 23, 2024. After days of arguments, tensions escalated when Smith’s girlfriend admitted that he was not the biological father of one of their children. Enraged by the revelation and other long-standing infidelities, Smith retrieved a .45 caliber handgun and fired two shots at his girlfriend — hitting her once in the leg and grazing her head with the second shot. According to investigators, the weapon was locked inside a safe that Smith had to forcibly open, indicating premeditation. Prosecutors argued that Smith also sent troubling messages to his minor sons before the shooting, stating, “I gotta do what I gotta do,” further suggesting he intended to cause harm.
The altercation took place in front of the couple’s children, making the ordeal even more traumatic. Witnesses said that after Smith fired the first shot, his 16-year-old son bravely jumped on his back with a kitchen knife in an attempt to stop him. Thanks to his son’s courageous actions, the second shot only grazed the woman’s head rather than causing more devastating harm. A neighbor, who witnessed the commotion, called 911. First responders arrived promptly and transported Smith’s girlfriend to the hospital, where she recounted to detectives that Smith had threatened “to blow her brains out.” Despite suffering an eight-month recovery journey, she ultimately survived the assault. Smith was taken into custody and booked into the county jail following the incident.
At his sentencing hearing last week, Smith expressed deep remorse for his actions. In a tearful statement before Judge J. Hulsing, he said, “I made a terrible decision that day, your honor. And it came from me being hurt just hearing my daughter wasn’t mine. That hurt me so bad, and other infidelities that we’ve been sweeping under the rug. We both need counseling, your honor. We both need counseling.” Smith’s girlfriend also spoke at the hearing, pleading for leniency on his behalf. “Please show some mercy for a man who was learning to be a better person, a father, and a businessman,” she urged the court.
Judge Hulsing acknowledged Smith’s genuine remorse but made it clear that the seriousness of the crime could not be overlooked. “I do believe that your expressions of remorse are genuine,” Hulsing said. “But this was a taunting and sadistic act.” Ultimately, Hulsing sentenced Smith to nearly 30 years in prison with a maximum possible sentence of 75 years, granting him credit for 325 days already served on the firearms charges. Despite the victim’s plea for a lighter sentence, the judge emphasized that the impact on the family, particularly the children who witnessed the violence, demanded a serious consequence. Smith remains incarcerated and will serve his sentence while continuing to grapple with the devastating effects his actions had on his family.
