A father shot and killed eight children, including his own seven, in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Sunday morning, April 19. The victims ranged in age from about one to twelve years old. The shootings took place at two homes and have been described by police as a “complete domestic violence incident.”
According to Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Chris Bordelon, the suspect, Shamar Elkins, carried out the attacks at two separate residences before attempting to flee by carjacking a vehicle. Police pursued him, and he was killed in an exchange of gunfire during thechase. Two adults were also injured in the attack, including the mother
of the killed children. Investigators have not yet confirmed a motive.
After visiting the crime scenes, Bordelon said, “This is a massive incident—most of us have never seen anything like this in our lives.” Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux called it “a tragic situation—possibly one of the worst we have ever seen.”
Police said Elkins had previously been arrested in 2019 on a weapons charge but was not known for prior domestic violence incidents.
US House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Shreveport native, wrote on social media, “We are praying for the victims, their families, and our Shreveport community in the wake of this heartbreaking tragedy.” Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry also said he and his wife were
“heartbroken” and were praying for all those affected.
The incident is yet another grim reminder of the growing mass shooting crisis in the United States. According to data from the Gun Violence Archive, even excluding this case, there have been at least 119 mass shootings in the US so far this year, resulting in 117 deaths—including 79 children—and 458 injuries. Last year, there were 407 such incidents nationwide. The archive defines a mass shooting as any incident in which four or more people are shot or killed, excluding the shooter.
The Shreveport tragedy is especially devastating as seven of the victims were the suspect’s own children, with the youngest just one year old. In a country where gun control laws remain entangled in political deadlock, this blood-soaked Sunday raises yet another painful question—how much more can America endure?
