At least eight children were killed and two adults wounded in a mass shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, in what police described as a domestic violence incident. The suspect, Shamar Elkins, murdered seven of his own children and injured their mother, as well as killing another child, according to police spokesperson Chris Bordelon.
The victims ranged in age from one to about 14 years old. The mother and another woman are in critical condition. Elkins died after a police pursuit. Police Chief Wayne Smith said the suspect was shot and killed by officers after committing a carjacking.
The violence occurred early on Sunday in Shreveport's Cedar Grove neighbourhood, with at least four separate but nearby crime scenes. Investigators did not discuss a motive but said it appeared to be domestic in nature. The killings fit the definition of a family annihilation, an offence that occurs every five days on average across the US, according to a 2023 investigation.
Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux called it a tragic situation, possibly the worst in recent memory for the city of about 177,000 people. US House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, issued a statement expressing heartbreak and offering thoughts and prayers.
Liza Demming, a neighbour, told the Associated Press her security camera captured the gunman running from a house towards a tyre shop. She said she later saw the covered body of one child victim on the roof but heard no altercations. Pastor Marty T Johnson Sr, who owns the home where the shootings occurred, said he did not know the family and planned to hold a prayer vigil.
Cleo Fields, a Democratic congressman whose district includes Shreveport, said the investigation was extensive and deeply painful, noting a crime scene spanning four locations and eight children gone. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there had been at least six mass killings in the US in 2026 prior to this incident.
