Louisiana authorities have identified eight children aged three to 11 who were killed on Sunday in what police described as a violent domestic incident in Shreveport. The victims were Jayla Elkins, three; Shayla Elkins, five; Kayla Pugh, six; Layla Pugh, six; Markaydon Pugh, 10; Sariahh Snow, 11; Khedarrion Snow, six; and Braylon Snow, five.
The gunman, 31-year-old Shamar Elkins, fatally shot the children – seven of whom were his own – at two separate houses before being shot dead by police after he stole a car. Two women were also injured, including Elkins's wife Shaneiqua Pugh, mother of four of his children, and another woman who was the mother of his three other children.
Police spokesperson Christopher Bordelon said the shooting was entirely domestic, stemming from an argument about the couple's separation, which was due to be heard in court on Monday. Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said he was taken aback by the deadly shooting, and Mayor Tom Arceneaux described it as maybe the worst tragic situation in recent memory.
Elkins had served in the Louisiana Army National Guard from 2013 to 2020 and later worked for UPS. He had been arrested in 2019 on a firearms charge. Relatives said he was struggling with mental health problems and was stressed about his relationship with his wife. His stepfather Marcus Jackson recounted a call on Easter Sunday in which Elkins spoke of having dark thoughts.
The killings represent the deadliest US mass shooting since January 2024, when eight people were killed in a Chicago suburb. The investigation continues as the community mourns the loss of the children.
