Louisiana Father Kills Eight Children in Deadliest U.S. Mass Shooting in Over Two Years

Shreveport, Louisiana: A tragic incident unfolded Sunday morning when a father fatally shot eight children, including seven of his own, in a shocking attack that spanned two homes in a Shreveport neighborhood. This incident marks one of the deadliest mass shootings in the United States in recent years, according to police reports.

The gunman, identified as 31-year-old Shamar Elkins, also critically injured two women, including his wife, who is the mother of his children. The children, all killed in the same residence, were aged between 3 and 11 years old. Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Chris Bordelon confirmed that the shooting was classified as a domestic incident.

Elkins died following a police pursuit that ended with officers firing upon him. While the motive behind the violence remains unclear, Bordelon stated that detectives believe the shooting was entirely domestic in nature.

Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith expressed his disbelief at the event, stating, “I just don’t know what to say. My heart is just taken aback. I cannot begin to imagine how such an event could occur.”

Timeline of Events

Authorities reported that the attacks began before sunrise in a neighborhood located south of downtown Shreveport. The violence commenced when Elkins shot a woman at one residence before moving to another location where the majority of the children were present. Seven children were found dead inside the second house, while one child was discovered deceased on the roof, having apparently attempted to escape. Another child managed to jump off the roof and is expected to survive after receiving medical attention.

State Representative Tammy Phelps remarked on the harrowing scene, noting that some children attempted to flee through the back door. “I can’t even imagine what the police officers and first responders actually dealt with when they got here today,” she stated during a news conference.

The victims included three boys and five girls, as confirmed by the Caddo Parish coroner’s office.

Domestic Turmoil

Elkins and his wife were reportedly in the process of separating and were scheduled to appear in court the following day. Crystal Brown, a cousin of one of the injured women, indicated that the couple had been arguing about their separation prior to the shooting. “He murdered his children,” Brown said. “He shot his wife.”

Elkins had four children with his wife and three children with another woman who also lived nearby and was shot during the incident. Brown described the children as “happy kids, very friendly, very sweet.”

Eyewitness Accounts

Liza Demming, a neighbor, recounted witnessing the aftermath of the shooting. Her security camera captured video of the suspect fleeing the scene, accompanied by the sound of gunfire. “That’s pretty much all I saw — him running out of the house and the cars leaving,” she said. Demming later discovered a child’s covered body on the roof of the home.

Pastor Marty T. Johnson Sr., of St. Gabriel Community Baptist Church, which is located near the scene, stated that someone had rented one of the homes involved in the shooting but he had no prior interactions with the family. The parish district attorney’s office released a statement indicating that what began as a domestic dispute resulted in “irreversible harm.”

Community Response

This incident is noted as the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. since January 2024, when eight individuals were killed in a Chicago suburb, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.

At a news conference held outside the residence where the shootings occurred, officials appeared visibly shaken and requested patience and prayers from the community as they navigated multiple crime scenes. Mayor Tom Arceneaux described the situation as “maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had,” expressing the collective grief of the community.

In the hours following the shooting, mourners gathered outside the single-story house on 79th Street, laying flowers in remembrance of the victims. One door bore visible signs of blood. Later that evening, community members participated in a prayer vigil, lighting candles for the victims in a nearby parking lot. Kimberlin Jackson, a participant, reflected on the tragedy, stating, “It just makes you take your children and hug them and hold them and tell them how much you love them.”

As reported by www.emirates247.com.

Explore the latest digital editions of FAME Delivered in the Magazine section.

Published on 2026-04-20 08:53:00 • By FAME Delivered News Desk