SHREVEPORT, United States — A man in Louisiana fatally shot eight children, seven of them his own, in a series of attacks spanning multiple homes early Sunday, April 19, 2026, according to local authorities, in what officials described as one of the most severe incidents the city has faced.
Police identified the suspect as 31-year-old Shamar Elkins, who was later shot by officers following a carjacking and pursuit.
He was pronounced dead shortly after 7 a.m., officials said.
The shooting also left several others injured, including Elkins’s wife and another woman.
A third woman and a 12-year-old girl were hurt after jumping from a roof while trying to escape.
Early Morning Calls and Police Response
The first emergency call was received just before 6 a.m., when a person on the roof of a residence on West 79th Street reported that a suspect inside had shot someone, said Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith.
Minutes later, another caller told police that the suspect, described as a family member, had shot everyone inside the home.
The caller said she and her children had escaped via the roof and were in the backyard.
Officers arrived at 6:01 a.m., Smith said.
A third call soon followed from a nearby location on Harrison Street, where a woman reported being shot by her boyfriend, who had taken her three children and fled.
The suspect was identified as Elkins.
Authorities said that at approximately 6:15 a.m., Elkins carjacked a vehicle and led officers into neighbouring Bossier Parish.
He was armed with a rifle during the incident, according to police.
Victims Identified
The eight children killed ranged in age from 3 to 11.
The youngest, Jayla Elkins, was 3 years old. Other victims were identified as Shayla Elkins, 5; Kayla Pugh, 6; Layla Pugh, 7; Markaydon Pugh, 10; Sariahh Snow, 11; Khedarrion Snow, 6; and Braylon Snow, 5, according to the Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office.
Officials said the deaths more than doubled the number of homicides recorded this year in Shreveport and Caddo Parish.
Mayor Tom Arceneaux described the incident as “a tragic situation, maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had in Shreveport,” adding that such violence “rattles the entire city.”
Family Accounts and Prior Concerns
Family members said Elkins had struggled with mental health challenges in the months leading up to the shooting.
Four days after posting a photograph of himself with his children following an Easter church service, Elkins shared an online prayer that read, in part, “Dear God, Today I ask You to help me guard my mind and my emotions.”
Relatives said he had recently received treatment at a veterans’ hospital and appeared to be improving.
“He loved his kids,” said Troy Brown, his brother-in-law.
Brown described efforts to support Elkins, recalling, “I would constantly talk to my brother-in-law. ‘Let’s sit outside. Let’s play dominoes. Let’s play cards. Let’s go for a walk.’”
According to family members, Elkins and his wife, 34-year-old Shaneiqua Pugh, were in the process of divorcing.
They had been scheduled to finalise the separation in court on Monday.
Elkins had told relatives he was managing his situation. “I’m just gonna deal with it,” Brown said he was told.
“I wish he went ahead and got the help,” Brown added.
Community Response
Residents in the neighbourhood described a sudden shift from normal activity to tragedy.
Freddie Montgomery, who lives across the street, said he saw Elkins sitting on his porch the previous afternoon as children played outside.
The next morning, Montgomery awoke to a growing police presence. When he asked an officer about the severity of the situation, he was told there were multiple fatalities, including children.
“You hope the children are all right,” Montgomery said. “But they were not.”
By Monday, a memorial of flowers, balloons and stuffed animals had formed outside the family home. Residents gathered throughout the day to mourn and offer support.
Local officials and organisations said they would assist the affected families.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry announced that the Love One Louisiana Foundation would help cover funeral expenses, while the Community Foundation of North Louisiana would support survivors.
City Councilmember Tabatha Taylor urged greater attention to mental health issues, saying, “This is not a freaking joke! This is real, and this is the result when someone snaps.”
Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the attack, including whether it may constitute what law enforcement officials describe as a family annihilation.
For relatives of the victims, the losses are deeply personal. “These were eight babies, precious babies,” Brown said. “I’ve lost eight parts of me.”
