Christopher Smith is now charged with first-degree murder and child abuse after his girlfriend died from injuries she suffered in a shooting outside a bar in Safety Harbor, Florida. According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, deputies took the 40-year-old into custody shortly after he allegedly shot her and ran her over with his vehicle while his 5-year-old daughter was in the car. Bodycam footage of the arrest shows Smith telling deputies, “My daughter’s in there!”
Deputies responded to the scene on October 13 at approximately 9 p.m. Investigators said Smith had entered the Harbor Bar around 8:45 PM, leaving his dog and his 5-year-old daughter in his car in the parking lot.
He later walked outside with his 30-year-old girlfriend, Jessica Antolini, and witnesses saw the pair arguing. Authorities allege Smith shot Antolini and then fled in his car with his daughter and dog inside, running her over as he left.
Deputies found his daughter unharmed inside the car
Bodycam footage released by the sheriff’s office captured the moment deputies apprehended Smith. In the recording, Smith can be heard telling them his daughter was inside the vehicle. The child and the dog were found unharmed and were placed with family members shortly after the arrest.
Antolini was rushed to a hospital in critical condition and was pronounced dead on October 15, two days after the shooting, according to the sheriff’s office. Before her death, Law & Crime reported that a judge denied Smith bond on the original attempted murder charge and ordered that he have no contact with his daughter. Following her death, the charge was upgraded to first-degree murder.
Multiple witnesses called 911 and gave deputies a description of Smith’s car, which helped them locate him a short time later. In a separate Florida case, a jury recently rejected a woman’s self-defense claim, and she was convicted of shooting her ex. The sheriff’s office said the investigation into Smith’s case is ongoing.
Published: Oct 19, 2026 09:00 pm