PENSACOLA, FL – A domestic altercation resulted in a woman defending herself by shooting her assailant on the afternoon of May 4. The suspect, identified as 34-year-old Denard Smith, was later arrested and charged with battery and aggravated assault.
The incident occurred just before 5 p.m. when deputies responded to a domestic violence call. According to the local media, the woman involved in the incident stated that Smith was inside the house when she returned home. The two had been arguing intermittently since Friday, and tensions flared again, leading to a violent confrontation.
The report indicates that Smith began to push and pull the woman off the couch during the argument. Seeking to distance herself from him, the woman retreated to her bedroom, but Smith followed. At this point, Smith reportedly picked up a glass candle holder and threatened to hit the woman with it, eventually striking her once. Fearing further assault, the woman retrieved a gun from a bag by the bed and shot Smith once.
Smith then fled the scene in his vehicle. Pensacola Police located him a short time later near Cervantes and E streets, where he was transported to the hospital for treatment of the gunshot wound.
Deputies interviewed Smith at the hospital, and he was subsequently charged with battery and aggravated assault related to the incident. Smith is currently being held without bond.
The case highlights the severity of domestic violence and the extreme measures sometimes necessary for victims to protect themselves.
