Shreveport Gunman Kills Eight Children In Domestic Attack Before Dying In Police Chase

Mintesinot Nigussie

A man identified by police as Shamar Elkins killed eight children, including seven of his own, and shot two women in a series of early morning attacks across two homes in Shreveport, Louisiana, authorities said. He later died after a police pursuit that followed a carjacking. Police said the violence began before sunrise on Sunday when Elkins shot a woman at one residence before driving to a second home, where most of the victims were found. Officials described the case as a domestic-related incident.

At the second location, seven children were killed inside the house, while another child was later found dead outside after apparently attempting to escape. The victims were between one and about 12 years old, according to authorities. Two women were also shot during the attacks and remained in critical condition on Sunday, police said.

Elkins fled the scene and later carjacked a vehicle at gunpoint, triggering a police pursuit. He died following the chase, officials said. A family member told The Associated Press that Elkins and his wife were due in court on Monday over separation proceedings and had been arguing before the attack. Authorities have not confirmed a motive but said the incident appears to be domestic in nature.

Shreveport police spokesperson Chris Bordelon said Elkins had prior contact with law enforcement and was arrested in a firearms-related case in 2019. Officials said there were no known prior domestic violence reports. Crystal Brown, a cousin of one of the wounded women, told the Associated Press that Elkins had children with two women living nearby and that several of the children were gathered in the same home at the time of the shooting. She described them as “happy kids, very friendly, very sweet.”

A local pastor, Marty T. Johnson Sr. of St. Gabriel Community Baptist Church, said he plans to hold a prayer vigil and assist with burial arrangements for the children. The Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office has not yet released the names of the children, pending identification. Local officials said the killings had left the community in shock.

Overall, the Shreveport gunman’s domestic attack that killed eight children before he died in a police chase has shocked the community and highlighted the devastating impact of domestic violence.