Shamar Elkins has been identified as a Shreveport shooting suspect after eight children ages 1 to 14 were killed in a ‘domestic’ attack. (Image: Facebook)
The suspect who killed eight children in the shooting has been identified locally.
Shamar Elkins, 31, is accused of killing eight children ages one to 14 in what has become the deadliest mass shooting in the United States in more than two years.
Police informed KSLA that Elkins is believed to be the father of some of the victims. A total of 10 people were shot, of whom two women survived the horrific ordeal. One of the victims, a woman, is said to be fighting for her life after being shot in the head.
The tragedy unfolded Sunday morning as the gunman approached a property in Shreveport where the devastating massacre took place.
Authorities revealed that after the carjacking, Elkins drove about a quarter mile toward Harrison Street, leading police on a high-speed chase. He then drove to a third location, where officers shot and killed him.
Councilwoman Tabatha Taylor, right, on Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Shreveport, La. Embracing an unidentified man outside the scene of a mass shooting in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (Image: AP)
Lisa Deming, who lives two houses from the scene of the attack, revealed that her security camera captured the sound of two gunshots as well as footage of the suspect running away.
“That’s all I saw, was him running out of the house and cars going by,” he said.
Ms Deming later came out to find the covered body of a child on the roof of the property. She said she did not know the gunman by name.
The scene where police believe eight children died in a domestic shooting in the 300 block of West 79th Street in Shreveport, LA on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (Image: Henrietta Wildsmith/via USA TODAY Network Images)
“He looks like a dad who comes here,” she said, adding that he had been with the children just a few days earlier. Officials and residents alike are acknowledging the shooting, which was the deadliest in the US since eight people were killed in a Chicago suburb in January 2024, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA TODAY in partnership with Northeastern University.
The suspect in the shooting died after being pursued by officers, said Chris Bordelon, a spokesman for the Shreveport Police Department. Mr Bordelon spoke of the horrific scenes that greeted officers when they arrived.
“It’s a broader scene than most of us have ever seen,” he said.
The officers appeared frightened after the firing. At a news conference held outside the property where the shooting took place, he appealed for patience and prayers from the local community as they worked multiple crime scenes.
“I don’t know what to say, my heart is broken,” said Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith. “I can’t even imagine how such an incident could happen.
Police Shreveport, La. Working outside a home in Washington, D.C., one of the locations where a mass shooting occurred on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (Image: AP)
“It’s a tragic situation — probably the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had,” said Tom Arceneaux, mayor of the northwestern Louisiana city of about 180,000 residents. “It’s a terrible morning.”
Louisiana State Police confirmed that their detectives were called in by Shreveport police to lead the investigation. In an official statement, State Police confirmed that no officers were hurt during the shooting, which followed a police chase in Bossier City on Sunday morning. State police are urging anyone who has photos, footage or relevant information to come forward and share it with detectives.
People console outside the scene of a mass shooting in Shreveport, La., on Sunday, April 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) (Image: AP)
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who is from Shreveport, both issued separate statements expressing their devastation and praising law enforcement for their quick response.
“We are keeping the victims, their families and loved ones, and our Shreveport community in our thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time,” Mr. Johnson said in a statement.
