What to know about a Louisiana father fatally shooting 8 children, including his own
SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — A Louisiana father fatally shot eight of his children, including seven of his own, and also shot and wounded his wife and another woman. deadliest mass shooting in the United States over two years.
The Sunday morning attack took place at two homes in the Shreveport neighborhood. The gunman, identified as 31-year-old Shamar Elkins, died following a police pursuit that ended with officers opening fire on him, authorities said.
Police did not explain the reason for the murders. Family members said Elkins and his wife had separated, and community leaders called for a reckoning on domestic violence as the shooting reverberated throughout the city, including in the classrooms where the children attended school.
Here’s what you need to know about the attack.
Shooting started before sunrise
The attack began before dawn in a neighborhood south of downtown Shreveport.
Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said police received the first report around 5:55 a.m. from a caller who said they were on top of a house where someone had been shot. Five minutes later, police were told Elkins shot everyone in the house on 79th Street.
Elkin’s brother-in-law, Troy Brown, said his wife and 12-year-old daughter escaped through the roof of the house.
Officers arrived within minutes, but another call at 6:07 a.m. reported a second assault on nearby Harrison Street, where the caller said Elkins shot him before running away, according to Smith. Police later received word that the gunman had stolen a car, which led to a pursuit and eventually an exchange of gunfire.
Elkins was pronounced dead about an hour after police received the initial call. Smith said it was unclear whether he was killed by police officers or by self-inflicted gunfire.
The gunman had a conviction for weapons offenses
Court records showed Elkins was placed on probation in 2019 after pleading guilty to unlawful use of a weapon. A police report on that incident stated that Elkins fired five shots into a vehicle and told police that someone in the vehicle pulled a gun on him.
Under Louisiana law, a person convicted of unlawful use of a weapon is prohibited from owning a gun for at least 10 years after completing his sentence and parole. Police spokesman Chris Bordelon said investigators were not aware of any other domestic violence issues involving Elkins.
Authorities have not said how or where Elkins obtained the gun used in Sunday’s attack.
A security spokesman said Elkins served in the Louisiana National Guard from 2013 to 2020, held the rank of private and was not on any tour of duty. He was a signal support system specialist and fire support specialist.
According to Brown, Elkins had volunteered at the Department of Veterans Affairs hospital for a little more than a week in January. He said Elkins seemed “better when he came home” and seemed fine the day before the shooting.
All of the children killed were under the age of 12
The eight children ranged in age from 3 to 11 years old. Elkins’ seven children, as well as her nephew, were among those killed, according to the Caddo County coroner’s office.
Family members described the gunman’s wife, Shaneiqua Elkins, as a caring mother who celebrated her children’s success in school and carefully dressed them before family events.
Francine Monro Brown, Shaneiqua Elkins’ cousin, said she often saw children playing in the yard as she passed the house on her way to church on Sunday mornings. He described them as “happy” and “cheerful.”
Family member says couple broke up
Crystal Brown, the cousin of the woman shot in the attack, said Elkins and his wife had separated and were arguing about their relationship before the shooting.
The shooting in Shreveport was the deadliest incident in the United States since January 2024, when eight people were killed. In a suburb of Chicagoaccordingly a database It is maintained by the Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.
