A former US Army National Guard soldier who shot dead eight children in Louisiana had previously warned his stepfather that 'some people don't come back from their demons'. Shamar Elkins, 31, killed seven of his own children and one other aged three to 11 before being fatally shot by police following a pursuit.
The massacre occurred on Sunday in Shreveport after an early morning dispute with his partner, who was critically injured. Elkins, who had a history of mental health struggles, had expressed suicidal thoughts in a phone call with his stepfather Marcus Jackson on Easter Sunday. Mr Jackson recalled his stepson saying he wanted to end his life because his wife was seeking a divorce.
Despite Mr Jackson's attempts to reassure him, Elkins replied: 'Some people don't come back from their demons.' The call ended shortly after, with Elkins saying he would pass on greetings to his children's grandparents in Oklahoma City, nearly ten hours from Louisiana.
Police confirmed that the shooting was entirely a domestic incident, though the exact trigger remains unknown. Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said he was 'taken aback' and could not imagine how such an event could occur. The tragedy is the deadliest mass shooting in the United States in over two years, sparking widespread outrage.
Elkins served in the Louisiana Army National Guard from August 2013 to August 2020, working as a signal support system and fire support specialist. He left as a private and was never deployed. His mother Mahelia Elkins and stepfather Marcus Jackson spoke of their son's despair amid the cheerful voices of his eight children during the Easter phone call.
