Mass Shooting in Shreveport Leaves Eight Children Dead
Shreveport police have reported that suspect Shamar Elkins, who was fatally shot by police, killed seven of his own children and injured their mother in a domestic violence incident. The tragedy occurred early Sunday morning in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Chris Bordelon, spokesperson for the Shreveport Police Department, stated on Sunday evening that Elkins killed seven of his children and wounded their mother, in addition to killing another child. The victims' ages ranged from one to approximately 12 years old. The mother and another woman remain in critical condition. Elkins died following a police pursuit.
Bordelon also noted that the suspect had a prior arrest in 2019 related to a firearms case. Wayne Smith, Shreveport’s police chief, confirmed that Elkins was shot and killed by police after committing a carjacking.
The violent events took place in the Cedar Grove neighborhood of Shreveport, involving at least four separate but nearby locations. Investigators have not disclosed a motive but indicated the incident appeared domestic in nature.
The relationship between the perpetrator and the victims classifies this mass murder as a family annihilation, a term used since the 1980s to describe cases where a family member kills multiple relatives. Most such cases involve a male perpetrator armed with a gun who either kills himself or is killed after the murders. While often viewed as isolated tragedies, a July 2023 investigation revealed that family annihilations occur across the United States every few days on average.
Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux described the incident as possibly the worst tragedy in recent memory for the city of approximately 177,000 residents.
“This is a tragic situation, maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve … had,” Arceneaux said.
“It’s a terrible morning in Shreveport, and we all know my heart goes out to this entire community for the tragic event that has taken place this morning.”
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican representing the district that includes Shreveport, issued a statement calling the violence "heartbreaking."
“My team is in touch with local law enforcement as more details emerge,” Johnson said. “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.”
Prior to Sunday, there had been at least six mass murders in the United States in 2026, according to the Mass Murder Archive, a non-partisan reference resource. The archive defines mass murders as incidents with four or more victims killed.
Liza Demming, a resident living two doors from one of the shooting scenes, told the Associated Press that her security camera recorded the gunman fleeing toward a tire shop. She heard two gunshots but did not witness any altercation.
“That’s pretty much all I saw, was him running out of the house,” Demming said.
“It was nothing loud, no altercations. It was quiet.”
Demming later saw the covered body of a child victim on the roof of the house.
According to the Associated Press, Pastor Marty T. Johnson Sr. of the local St. Gabriel Community Baptist Church owns the home where the shootings occurred. However, he stated he did not know the family who rented the home and had no direct dealings with them. The home was rented by an employee of his.
Pastor Johnson expressed his intention to support the community and assist with a prayer vigil for the family.
“I do plan on having a prayer vigil for the family, and anything I can do – with so many children, to help them bury the children, I’m going to do so,” he said.
“We’ve got to take our community back, and we will.”
Cleo Fields, a Democratic congressional representative whose district also covers part of Shreveport, described the investigation as “extensive and deeply painful.”
“A crime scene spanning four locations, eight children gone ranging in age from just one to fourteen years old – there are no words,” Fields said.
Other Recent Mass Shootings in the U.S.
In a separate incident over the weekend, five people were injured during a fight near the University of Iowa in Iowa City on Saturday night. Three of the wounded were hospitalized, with one in critical condition and the others stable. Police have not announced any arrests related to this shooting.
“While we await additional information, I am thinking about these students and their families, friends, and all the people who care about them,” said Barbara Wilson, president of the University of Iowa.
“I am holding them close in my thoughts, along with everyone in our community who is hurting or feeling shaken right now.”
The University of Iowa shooting is among more than 110 mass shootings in the United States so far in 2026, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines mass shootings as incidents with four or more victims wounded or killed.
The persistent prevalence of mass shootings in the U.S. has intensified calls for stronger gun control legislation. However, Congress has historically been unable or unwilling to enact significant reforms, with some lawmakers responding to such tragedies primarily with prayers rather than legislative action.
Gabrielle Giffords, a former Democratic congressional representative from Arizona and gun violence prevention advocate who survived an assassination attempt in 2011, issued a statement condemning the ongoing violence.
“All of us should be outraged that we live in a country that routinely subjects our kids to such unimaginable violence,” Giffords said.
“Our children have no option but to trust us to keep them safe, but our country is failing them every day.”
Her statement also referenced Louisiana’s capital and state legislature, emphasizing the moral responsibility of both Congress and Baton Rouge to improve safety measures.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
