‘Jealous’ man shoots woman’s ex in front of her child, Coral Springs police say

Jealousy was behind the most recent shooting in Coral Springs when a man shot his perceived romantic rival, who shares a child with a woman he was seeing, witnesses and documents indicate.

Christopher Jacob Smith, 57, of Coral Springs, is now charged with attempted premeditated murder, child abuse without great bodily harm, armed robbery and firing a missile into a vehicle.

The shooting occurred in the Governor’s Walk neighborhood near Atlantic Boulevard and NW 87th Terrace the afternoon of Wednesday, July 15.

Smith is accused of shooting the ex of the woman he’s been seeing who shares a son with her, police said. The exact nature of the relationship between Smith and the woman is unclear.

The father, who was shot in the shoulder, told investigators that he and his son initially drove to see his son’s mom that day “because they were concerned about her wellbeing,” police wrote in a probable cause affidavit.

They said they drove into the neighborhood in their Jeep and saw Smith standing in the grass outside the house. As the dad came to a stop, he said Smith stepped into the street and yelled that his foot was trapped under one of the Jeep’s tires, according to the report.

Smith then pulled a gun out of his waistband and fired a shot at the dad through the windshield, police said.

The dad recounted he jumped out of the car and started running while Smith continued shooting at him. The son told police he got out of the car too and started running after his father while calling 911.

The dad was hospitalized, and his son was transported with him. Smith also required medical attention, investigators said.

Police spoke to the mother, who told them, “Christopher had become increasingly jealous of her relationship with (the father of her child) and demanded that she choose between the two men,” according to the affidavit.

She said Smith also wanted her to move to California with him, but she said no. She added before her son and his father arrived, Smith got a gun out of his pickup truck “to confront” the other man.

Investigators reported finding cartridge casings in the area and damage to the Jeep indicating what had happened. Smith is believed to be the only person who fired shots.

Police interviewed Smith but said his statement “minimizing his actions was not credible.”

Smith is being held in Broward’s Main Jail as of July 16.