Topline: Eight children, including seven of the suspect’s own, were killed in a pair of Shreveport shootings that ended with the gunman dead after a police pursuit.
Published: April 21, 2026 9:30 am ET
Randy Shaw
I cut my teeth in journalism when I began looking into what I saw as abuses of power in my local government. From then on, I was hooked on the dopamine rush of uncovering information.
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SHREVEPORT, La. — A 31-year-old Louisiana man fatally shot eight children, including seven of his own, and wounded his wife and another woman in two connected attacks Sunday morning before dying after a police pursuit, authorities said.
The attacks unfolded at two homes in a neighborhood south of downtown Shreveport. The children killed ranged in age from 3 to 11, and one of the dead was the suspect’s nephew, according to the Caddo Parish coroner’s office.
According to WPXI, Shreveport police identified the gunman as Shamar Elkins. Police Chief Wayne Smith said officers received the first report around 5:55 a.m. from a caller who said they were on top of a house where someone had been shot. About five minutes later, police were told Elkins had shot everyone inside the home on 79th Street.
Troy Brown, identified as Elkins’ brother-in-law, said his wife and 12-year-old daughter escaped through the roof of the house. While officers were responding, another call came in at 6:07 a.m. reporting a second attack on nearby Harrison Street, where a woman said Elkins had shot her before fleeing, Smith said.
Police said Elkins then stole a vehicle, triggering a pursuit that ended in an exchange of gunfire. He was pronounced dead about an hour after the first 911 call. Smith said investigators had not determined whether Elkins was killed by officers or from a self-inflicted gunshot.
Authorities said they have not established a motive. Family members said Elkins and his wife, Shaneiqua Elkins, were separating and had been arguing about their relationship before the shootings. Community leaders in Shreveport also pointed to domestic violence concerns as the killings shook the city and the schools the children attended.
Court records show Elkins was placed on probation in 2019 after pleading guilty to illegal use of weapons. A police report in that case said he fired five rounds at a vehicle and later told officers someone inside had pulled a gun on him. Under Louisiana law, a person convicted of illegal use of a weapon is barred from possessing a gun for at least 10 years after completing a sentence and probation.
Police spokesperson Chris Bordelon said investigators were not aware of prior domestic violence issues involving Elkins. Authorities have not said how or where he obtained the weapon used in Sunday’s attacks.
Elkins served in the Louisiana National Guard from 2013 to 2020, where he held the rank of private and had no deployments, according to a guard spokesperson. He worked as a signal support systems specialist and a fire support specialist.
Brown also said Elkins voluntarily checked into a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in January for a stay lasting just over a week. Brown said Elkins appeared better when he returned home and seemed fine the day before the shootings.
Relatives described Shaneiqua Elkins as a devoted mother who celebrated her children’s success in school and carefully dressed them before family events. Francine Monro Brown, a cousin of Shaneiqua Elkins, said she often saw the children playing in the yard on Sunday mornings as she drove to church and remembered them as happy and joyful.
The mass killing was described as the deadliest in the United States in more than two years, dating back to a January 2024 case in suburban Chicago, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press, USA Today, and Northeastern University.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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Louisiana Father Kills 8 Children, Wounds 2 Women Before Dying After Police Pursuit
Eight children, including seven of the suspect’s own, were killed in a pair of Shreveport shootings that ended with the gunman dead after a police pursuit.
By Randy Shaw
Published: April 21, 2026 9:30 am ET
SHREVEPORT, La. — A 31-year-old Louisiana man fatally shot eight children, including seven of his own, and wounded his wife and another woman in two connected attacks Sunday morning before dying after a police pursuit, authorities said.
The attacks unfolded at two homes in a neighborhood south of downtown Shreveport. The children killed ranged in age from 3 to 11, and one of the dead was the suspect’s nephew, according to the Caddo Parish coroner’s office.
According to WPXI, Shreveport police identified the gunman as Shamar Elkins. Police Chief Wayne Smith said officers received the first report around 5:55 a.m. from a caller who said they were on top of a house where someone had been shot. About five minutes later, police were told Elkins had shot everyone inside the home on 79th Street.
Troy Brown, identified as Elkins’ brother-in-law, said his wife and 12-year-old daughter escaped through the roof of the house. While officers were responding, another call came in at 6:07 a.m. reporting a second attack on nearby Harrison Street, where a woman said Elkins had shot her before fleeing, Smith said.
Police said Elkins then stole a vehicle, triggering a pursuit that ended in an exchange of gunfire. He was pronounced dead about an hour after the first 911 call. Smith said investigators had not determined whether Elkins was killed by officers or from a self-inflicted gunshot.
Authorities said they have not established a motive. Family members said Elkins and his wife, Shaneiqua Elkins, were separating and had been arguing about their relationship before the shootings. Community leaders in Shreveport also pointed to domestic violence concerns as the killings shook the city and the schools the children attended.
Court records show Elkins was placed on probation in 2019 after pleading guilty to illegal use of weapons. A police report in that case said he fired five rounds at a vehicle and later told officers someone inside had pulled a gun on him. Under Louisiana law, a person convicted of illegal use of a weapon is barred from possessing a gun for at least 10 years after completing a sentence and probation.
Police spokesperson Chris Bordelon said investigators were not aware of prior domestic violence issues involving Elkins. Authorities have not said how or where he obtained the weapon used in Sunday’s attacks.
Elkins served in the Louisiana National Guard from 2013 to 2020, where he held the rank of private and had no deployments, according to a guard spokesperson. He worked as a signal support systems specialist and a fire support specialist.
Brown also said Elkins voluntarily checked into a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in January for a stay lasting just over a week. Brown said Elkins appeared better when he returned home and seemed fine the day before the shootings.
Relatives described Shaneiqua Elkins as a devoted mother who celebrated her children’s success in school and carefully dressed them before family events. Francine Monro Brown, a cousin of Shaneiqua Elkins, said she often saw the children playing in the yard on Sunday mornings as she drove to church and remembered them as happy and joyful.
The mass killing was described as the deadliest in the United States in more than two years, dating back to a January 2024 case in suburban Chicago, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press, USA Today, and Northeastern University.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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Louisiana Father Kills 8 Children, Wounds 2 Women Before Dying After Police Pursuit
Eight children, including seven of the suspect’s own, were killed in a pair of Shreveport shootings that ended with the gunman dead after a police pursuit.
By Randy Shaw
Published: April 21, 2026 9:30 am ET
SHREVEPORT, La. — A 31-year-old Louisiana man fatally shot eight children, including seven of his own, and wounded his wife and another woman in two connected attacks Sunday morning before dying after a police pursuit, authorities said.
The attacks unfolded at two homes in a neighborhood south of downtown Shreveport. The children killed ranged in age from 3 to 11, and one of the dead was the suspect’s nephew, according to the Caddo Parish coroner’s office.
According to WPXI, Shreveport police identified the gunman as Shamar Elkins. Police Chief Wayne Smith said officers received the first report around 5:55 a.m. from a caller who said they were on top of a house where someone had been shot. About five minutes later, police were told Elkins had shot everyone inside the home on 79th Street.
Troy Brown, identified as Elkins’ brother-in-law, said his wife and 12-year-old daughter escaped through the roof of the house. While officers were responding, another call came in at 6:07 a.m. reporting a second attack on nearby Harrison Street, where a woman said Elkins had shot her before fleeing, Smith said.
Police said Elkins then stole a vehicle, triggering a pursuit that ended in an exchange of gunfire. He was pronounced dead about an hour after the first 911 call. Smith said investigators had not determined whether Elkins was killed by officers or from a self-inflicted gunshot.
Authorities said they have not established a motive. Family members said Elkins and his wife, Shaneiqua Elkins, were separating and had been arguing about their relationship before the shootings. Community leaders in Shreveport also pointed to domestic violence concerns as the killings shook the city and the schools the children attended.
Court records show Elkins was placed on probation in 2019 after pleading guilty to illegal use of weapons. A police report in that case said he fired five rounds at a vehicle and later told officers someone inside had pulled a gun on him. Under Louisiana law, a person convicted of illegal use of a weapon is barred from possessing a gun for at least 10 years after completing a sentence and probation.
Police spokesperson Chris Bordelon said investigators were not aware of prior domestic violence issues involving Elkins. Authorities have not said how or where he obtained the weapon used in Sunday’s attacks.
Elkins served in the Louisiana National Guard from 2013 to 2020, where he held the rank of private and had no deployments, according to a guard spokesperson. He worked as a signal support systems specialist and a fire support specialist.
Brown also said Elkins voluntarily checked into a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in January for a stay lasting just over a week. Brown said Elkins appeared better when he returned home and seemed fine the day before the shootings.
Relatives described Shaneiqua Elkins as a devoted mother who celebrated her children’s success in school and carefully dressed them before family events. Francine Monro Brown, a cousin of Shaneiqua Elkins, said she often saw the children playing in the yard on Sunday mornings as she drove to church and remembered them as happy and joyful.
The mass killing was described as the deadliest in the United States in more than two years, dating back to a January 2024 case in suburban Chicago, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press, USA Today, and Northeastern University.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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