MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – A security guard who was among 10 people shot and wounded at a Miami Gardens music video shoot for rapper French Montana is speaking publicly about the ordeal for the first time.
Local 10 News spoke to Corey Smith from his hospital bed.
Smith was protecting the Moroccan-American rapper at The Licking restaurant, located at 17647 NW 27th Ave., when shots rang out the night of Jan. 4.
“It really changed my life,” Smith said.
Smith started a personal protection company after working for years in corporate America. He and his wife Sarita have three children, ages 6, 9 and 18.
“As a mom, you never want to see your kids hurt it’s been rough consoling them, the nightmares, telling me they had dreams that daddy’s dead,” Sarita Smith said.
An eyewitness credited Smith with protecting French Montana from the barrage of bullets, Sarita Smith said.
“You jumped in front of the bullets,” Local 10 reporter Rosh Lowe told Corey Smith.
“Yeah, it’s what I signed up for,” he replied. “It’s a part of my job.”
Sarita Smith said her husband was shot three times in the stomach and said her husband hasn’t heard from French Montana recently. The rapper is facing at least two lawsuits following the shooting.
Family members have started a GoFundMe page to help with expenses.
“Our finances have taken a hard hit,” Corey Smith said. “It’s just a matter of getting better and being the bread winner and taking care of my little ones.”
Local 10 News contacted French Montana’s representatives to ask him about Smith’s claims that he has cut off communication with a man who saved his life. So far, we haven’t heard back.