Louisiana Gunman's 'Dark Thoughts' and Divorce Preceded Child Shooting
Shamar Elkins, a 31-year-old man from Shreveport, Louisiana, was grappling with overwhelming "dark thoughts" and an impending divorce before he fatally shot eight children, seven of whom were his own, according to a police report and family statements. The tragic incident occurred early on Sunday morning, marking one of the deadliest mass shootings in the United States in recent years.
Family Describes Elkins' Distress Before Attack
In the days leading up to the shooting, Elkins reached out to his mother, Mahelia Elkins, and stepfather, Marcus Jackson, expressing deep despair. During an emotional phone call on Easter Sunday, Elkins tearfully revealed that he wanted to take his own life and that his wife, Shaneiqua Pugh, was seeking a divorce. He described himself as drowning in "dark thoughts," with the sounds of his children playing audible in the background.
Jackson recounted trying to offer support, saying, "I told him, 'You can beat stuff, man. I don't care what you're going through, you can beat it.'" However, Elkins responded ominously, "Some people don't come back from their demons." The call ended with Elkins promising to pass on greetings from his grandparents to the children.
Details of the Shooting and Aftermath
According to Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Chris Bordelon, authorities responded to the shooting just after 6 a.m. on Sunday. Elkins first attacked two women at one address, critically injuring them, before traveling to a second home where he killed the children. Many of the victims, aged between 3 and 11, appeared to have been shot in the head while they slept.
Seven children were found dead inside the home, and an eighth was discovered on a back roof. A ninth child, aged 13, managed to escape with injuries. After the killings, Elkins carjacked a vehicle to flee the scene. Police officers pursued him and opened fire during the chase, neutralizing the suspect, who was pronounced dead at the location.
Family Background and Prior Incidents
Mahelia Elkins shared that she and her son had a strained relationship for much of his life, reconnecting over a decade ago. She had given birth to him as a teenager while battling a crack cocaine addiction, and he was raised by a family friend, Betty Walker. Walker noted that she last saw Elkins the weekend before the shooting, with nothing seeming amiss during a family dinner.
Records obtained by The New York Times revealed that Elkins had prior convictions, including driving while intoxicated in 2016 and illegal use of weapons in 2019. In the latter incident, he reportedly fired a 9-millimeter handgun at a car five times, with one bullet landing near a school where children were playing. Despite this, a coworker from UPS described Elkins as a devoted father, though he had a habit of nervously pulling out his hair.
Elkins served in the Louisiana Army National Guard from 2013 to 2020 as a signal system and fire support specialist but was never deployed and left as a private. In the weeks before the attack, he posted a prayer on Facebook asking God to "help me guard my mind and emotions," and sent his mother a photo of his family, assuring her that everyone was okay.
Victims and Community Impact
The Caddo Parish Coroner's Office identified the eight children killed as Jayla Elkins, 3; Shayla Elkins, 5; Kayla Pugh, 6; Layla Pugh, 7; Markaydon Pugh, 10; Sariahh Snow, 11; Khedarrion Snow, 6; and Braylon Snow, 5. Crystal Brown, a cousin of one of the wounded women, described the children as "happy kids, very friendly, very sweet." She added that Elkins and his wife were due in court on Monday for a contentious separation, with Elkins sharing four children with his wife and three with another woman who was also shot.
The attack has sent shockwaves through the community, highlighting issues of mental health and domestic strife. If you or someone you know is in crisis, resources like the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the USA offer confidential support 24/7.
