A Louisiana father fatally shot eight children, including seven of his own, during an early morning attack on his family Sunday, April 19, 2026, that stretched across two houses in a Shreveport neighborhood. The attack is one of the nation’s deadliest mass shootings in recent years.
The gunman, identified as 31-year-old Shamar Elkins, died after a police pursuit that ended with officers firing on him, according to Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Chris Bordelon.
“I just don’t know what to say, my heart is just taken aback,” Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said. “I cannot begin to imagine how such an event could occur.”
The Victims – Children Ages 3 to 11
The children killed ranged in age from 3 to 11 years old. According to the Caddo Parish Coroner’s office, the victims were three boys and five girls.
| Victim Type | Number |
|---|---|
| Gunman’s own children | 7 |
| Other child | 1 |
| Total children killed | 8 |
Two women, including the gunman’s wife who was the mother of their children, were also shot and critically injured.
Attempts to Escape
Bordelon provided harrowing details of the children’s final moments:
- One child was found dead on the roof after apparently trying to escape
- Another child jumped off the roof and was expected to survive after being taken to a hospital
State Rep. Tammy Phelps said some children tried to get away through the back door.
“I can’t even imagine what the police officers, first responders actually dealt with when they got here today,” she said at a news conference.
The Attack – Two Houses, One Morning
Police said the attacks began before sunrise in a neighborhood south of downtown Shreveport.
Timeline of Events
| Step | Event |
|---|---|
| 1 | Suspect shot a woman at one home |
| 2 | Drove to a second location |
| 3 | Carried out the mass shooting at the second house |
| 4 | Seven children killed inside the house; one on the roof |
| 5 | Suspect fled; police pursuit ensued |
| 6 | Officers fired on Elkins; he died |
Authorities did not say what may have set off the violence, but Bordelon said detectives were confident the shooting was “entirely a domestic incident.”
The Gunman – A History of Firearms Arrest
Police were familiar with Elkins, who had been arrested in a 2019 firearms case. However, officials said they were not aware of any other domestic violence issues.
Family Separation
Crystal Brown , a cousin of one of the wounded women, provided context about the family situation:
- Elkins and his wife were in the middle of separating
- They were due in court Monday (the day after the shooting)
- The couple had been arguing about the separation before the shooting
“He murdered his children,” Brown said. “He shot his wife.”
Family Structure
According to Brown:
- Elkins shared four children with his wife
- Elkins shared three children with another woman who lived close by
- That other woman was also shot (she survived)
- All the children were together at one house
Brown described all the children as “happy kids, very friendly, very sweet.”
Neighbor Accounts – A Normal Day Turned Horror
Liza Demming , who lives two houses down from where most of the victims were shot, said her security camera captured video of the suspect running away along with the sound of two shots.
“That’s pretty much all I saw, was him running out of the house and the cars leaving,” she said.
Demming later went outside and saw the covered body of a child on the home’s roof. She said she did not know the gunman’s name.
“He looks like the dad that comes over here,” she said, adding that he was just with the children a few days ago.
Pastor Marty T. Johnson Sr. , of nearby St. Gabriel Community Baptist Church, owns one of the homes where the shootings occurred. A person who works for him had rented it to the family, but he never had dealings with them.
Official Responses – Grief and Shock
Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith
“I just don’t know what to say, my heart is just taken aback. I cannot begin to imagine how such an event could occur.”
Mayor Tom Arceneaux
“This is a tragic situation — maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had. It’s a terrible morning.”
Caddo Parish District Attorney’s Office
“What began as a domestic dispute has ended in irreversible harm.”
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry
Expressed heartbreak and praised law enforcement for their response.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (from Shreveport)
“We’re holding the victims, their families and loved ones, and our Shreveport community close in our thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.”
The Investigation – Ongoing and Complex
The Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office released a statement on Sunday saying it was not yet releasing any of the children’s names because identification of the victims was pending.
Law Enforcement Response
| Agency | Role |
|---|---|
| Shreveport Police | Lead investigation |
| Louisiana State Police | Assisting detectives |
| Bossier City Police | Involved in pursuit |
State police are asking anyone with pictures, video, or information to share it with state police detectives.
Officer-Involved Shooting
Louisiana State Police confirmed that no officers were harmed in the shooting that involved an officer after a police pursuit into Bossier City on Sunday morning.
National Context – Deadliest Mass Shooting in Over Two Years
The attack was the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. in more than two years.
| Comparison | Detail |
|---|---|
| Previous deadliest | Eight people killed in a Chicago suburb (January 2024) |
| Source | AP/USA Today/Northeastern University database |
The Shreveport shooting matches that death toll – but with the added horror that seven of the eight children killed were the gunman’s own.
A Community Overwhelmed
Shreveport, a city of approximately 180,000 residents in northwestern Louisiana, is now grappling with an unimaginable tragedy.
At a news conference outside the residence where one of the shootings occurred, officials appeared stunned, requesting patience and prayers from the community as they sorted through multiple crime scenes.
What We Know
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date | April 19, 2026 |
| Location | Shreveport, Louisiana (two houses) |
| Gunman | Shamar Elkins, 31 (deceased) |
| Children killed | 8 (ages 3-11) |
| Women shot | 2 (critically injured) |
| Surviving child | 1 (jumped from roof) |
| Motive | Domestic dispute (couple separating) |
What We Don’t Know
- Exact sequence of events inside the second house
- How the child ended up on the roof
- Whether the gunman had a history of domestic violence
- The current condition of the two wounded women
An Unspeakable Tragedy
The Shreveport mass shooting is a tragedy of almost incomprehensible proportions. A father – a man who should have protected his children – instead became their executioner. Eight children, ages 3 to 11, are dead. Two women are fighting for their lives. And a community is left to pick up the pieces.
As Mayor Arceneaux said: “It’s a terrible morning.”
For the families of the victims, for the first responders who saw what no one should ever see, and for the children who tried to escape – jumping from a roof, running for a back door – the horror will not fade quickly.
The investigation continues. But no investigation can answer the only question that matters: Why?
