Gunman Kills 8 Children, Including 7 of His Own, in Louisiana Shooting

Police identified the suspect as Shamar Elkins, who fatally shot seven of his children and another child.

Police gather in front of a house on Harrison Street near Bernstein Avenue, in Shreveport, La., as they investigate a shooting, on April 19, 2026. Jill Pickett/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP

A gunman killed eight children, including seven of his own, and critically injured two other women in a shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, Sunday morning.

Shreveport Police Department spokesperson ‌Christopher ⁠Bordelon identified the suspect as Shamar Elkins, a 31-year-old who had previous firearms offenses but no violent criminal history.