SHREVEPORT, La. — A man killed eight children, seven of them his own, and wounded two women in a domestic violence incident in Shreveport early Sunday, authorities said.
The suspect, identified by police as Shamar Elkins, was later shot and killed by officers following a vehicle chase, the Shreveport Police Department said.
Police responded to reports of a domestic disturbance around 6 a.m. local time in the Cedar Grove neighborhood, according to officials. The shootings spanned at least two or three locations, including homes on Harrison Street and West 79th Street, police spokesperson Cpl. Christopher Bordelon said.
The victims included children ranging in age from 1 to 14 years old, officials said. Seven were Elkins' children, while the eighth was a family friend or relative, described by some reports as a cousin to the others. One of the wounded women was Elkins' wife, the mother of at least seven of the children, who was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. The second woman was also critically wounded.
Bordelon described the incident as domestic in nature and involving the suspect's wife. "We know it’s domestic in nature, we know his wife is involved," he told reporters. Details about a possible motive remained under investigation, he added.
One victim reportedly ran to a neighboring residence and called authorities, helping prompt the police response, according to officials.
Elkins fled the scene in a carjacked vehicle, leading to a police pursuit. He was killed in a confrontation with officers, authorities said. No officers were injured.
The children were shot execution-style, a police spokesman said, though full details of the sequence of events have not been released.
Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith and other officials confirmed that the attack marked one of the deadliest mass shootings in the United States in recent years. No further information on the victims' identities has been publicly released pending notification of next of kin.
Investigators from the Shreveport Police Department, along with other agencies, continued processing multiple crime scenes on Monday. Autopsies were pending.
No charges were filed as the suspect is deceased. Authorities have not released information about prior domestic issues or criminal history involving Elkins, citing the ongoing investigation.
The incident has left the local community in mourning, though officials have declined to comment on the emotional impact.
As of Monday, the two wounded women remained hospitalized in critical condition, police said. No updates on their status were immediately available.
