Nine-time felon arrested in shooting of 1-year-old

A Fort Lauderdale man with a lengthy record was arrested Wednesday for a Sunday night shooting that injured a 1-year-old child in unincorporated central Broward County, according to police.

Special units from the Broward Sheriff’s Office and Fort Lauderdale Police Department arrested Jeffrey Simmons, 36, Wednesday around 1 a.m. without incident, the Sheriff ’s Office said in a statement Thursday.

A nine-time convicted felon, Simmons is currently in the Broward County Main Jail being held without bond on charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, missile into a building and possession of weapon or ammo by a convicted felon.

Simmons is accused of following a woman, who was not identified by police, to Northwest 27th Avenue and West Sunrise Boulevard

her.

The victim fled in her car but Simmons followed her in a separate car to the Marshall’s parking lot on West Broward Boulevard where he shot at her again.

This time, one of the bullets he fired entered the victim’s car, hitting her 1-year-old son. and then shooting at

Simmons was arrested Wednesday in a joint operation between the Broward Sheriff’s Office and Fort Lauderdale Police Departments.

Special units including violent offender teams, K9 units and a helicopter were used to locate and arrest him.

The 1-year-old boy had

asuccessful surgery, according to police, but investigators did not provide any other information as to his injuries.