JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jacksonville Beach police are looking for a man they said shot his wife three times Sunday afternoon while she was in a pickup truck with her three children and his brother, then took off.

Police said Levert Stewart got into an argument with his wife when they stopped at a beach access on First Avenue South about 5:30 p.m. Stewart allegedly got out of the car, walked around the car and fired several shots into the vehicle.

Lavonta Stewart survived the shooting -- two of the bullets struck her arm and one her let -- and was transported to Shands-Jacksonville Medical Center, but her condition was not available.

The brother and children were not injured, although one of the bullets narrowly missed the youngest child.

Police said Stewart took off on foot northbound on a beachfront sidewalk.

Stewart is wanted on charges of attempted homicide, child endangerment, aggravated domestic battery and shooting into an occupied vehicle. Police said he should be considered armed and dangerous.

"He has a lengthy, violent background and people should take caution when trying to approach him," said Jacksonville Beach Police Department Sgt. Tom Bingham told Channel 4's John Dunlap.

Lavonta Stewart's mother told Channel 4's John Dunlap that Levert Stewart just got out of jail on Friday.

"It's just been a long history of this domestic violence with him," Regina Smalls said. "We have children here who are in fear, even though they are his children. He disregarded that when he shot up the truck with them in it."

Smalls said Levert Stewart also threatened his own brother's life if he said anything about the shooting.

Police describe Stewart as a black man between 5 feet 11 inches and 6 feet tall weighing 200 pounds. He wears his hair in loose-fitting braids and has numerous tattoos, including on both sides of his neck.

He was last seen wearing a multicolored shirt with florescent coloring, dark, knee-length shorts and white Nike shoes with lime green highlights.

Police said Stewart has a long history of previous arrests, including domestic violence and assault on a police officer. His wife and two other women have restraining orders out against him.