A Louisiana man killed eight children in a domestic violence shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Sunday, authorities said. He then carjacked a vehicle before being fatally shot by police.
Police identified the gunman as Shamar Elkins, 31, who carried out the shooting across three homes early Sunday, authorities said.
Officers with the Shreveport Police Department responded to the 300 block of West 79th Street just after 6 a.m. after reports of a domestic violence dispute, police said, per NBC News.
The gunman reportedly shot a woman at a home near Harrison Street before heading to another on West 79th Street, where he killed all of the children, police said.
Elkins was the father of seven of the eight children killed, authorities said. The eighth child, who was not his, was shot and killed on the roof of the home while trying to escape. Another child jumped off the roof and survived.
Two women, identified as Elkins’ wife, the mother of seven of the children, and his girlfriend, were also shot and suffered serious injuries, Shreveport Police Cpl. Chris Bordelon said. A teenager was also injured and has non-life-threatening injuries, police said, according to NBC News and CNN.
The children who were killed were between the ages of 1 and 12, police said. Among the child victims, three were boys, and five were girls.
Elkins then fled the scene and carjacked a person at gunpoint before leading police in a car chase. Shreveport police officers later shot and killed him in Bossier Parish, according to police. Authorities confirmed that he was the only suspect involved in the deadly shooting, per NBC News and CNN.
A total of 10 people were shot. Another child, a 13-year-old boy, survived after escaping from the roof and is expected to be okay, according to NBC News and KSLA.
Police are still investigating a motive in the shooting.
“I just don’t know what to say. My heart is just taken aback,” Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said, according to NBC News. “I just cannot begin to imagine how such an event can occur.”
“We know it’s domestic in nature, we know his wife is involved and she is the mother of at least seven of the children, with the eighth being a family friend,” Bordelon said, per NBC News.
According to Crystal Brown, the cousin of one of the wounded women, Elkins was in the midst of separating from his wife and due in court on Monday, reports KLS TV.
The incident marks the nation’s deadliest mass shooting since January 2024, CNN reported.
City councilwoman Tabatha H. Taylor was visibly emotional late Sunday as she spoke about the shooting.
“I’m going to ask the community, along with prayer, with every mental health consultant, counselor, that is out here: This family and this community needs you,” she said, per CNN. “I need you. Because how do we get through this?”
