A Louisiana father fatally shot eight children, including seven of his own, before critically wounding his wife and another woman in one of the deadliest family massacres in recent American history. The Sunday morning attack in Shreveport left a neighborhood devastated and law enforcement confronting an unspeakable tragedy that claimed lives ranging from age 3 to 11.

Attack Unfolds Across Two Homes

The gunman, identified as Shamar Elkins, began his rampage before dawn at one residence where he shot a woman, then moved to a second house blocks away where he killed the eight children—three boys and five girls. Elkins and his wife were separating and scheduled for court the following Monday. Crystal Brown, a cousin of one victim, said the couple had argued about the separation before the shooting. One child survived by jumping from the roof during the attack.

Police Pursuit ENDS In Gunfire

Elkins fled the scene, triggering a police chase that ended when officers fired on him. He died following the confrontation. Neighbor Liza Demming’s security footage captured the suspect running from one house as shots rang out. She later witnessed the covered body of a child on the home’s roof. State Representative Tammy Phelps said some children attempted to escape through the back door. Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux called it potentially the worst tragedy the city has ever experienced.

No Prior Warning Signs

Investigators found no record of previous domestic violence involving Elkins, according to Shreveport Police spokesman Chris Bordelon. Court records show Elkins received probation in 2019 after pleading guilty to illegal weapons use. In that case, he reported someone in a vehicle pulled a gun on him before driving away. Brown described the family as hardworking and private, with happy and friendly children. The shooting marks the deadliest mass casualty event in America since January 2024, when eight people died in a Chicago suburb.

Community Grieves Young Victims

Mourners placed flowers outside the single-story home on 79th Street and lit candles at a nearby shopping plaza vigil. Kimberlin Jackson, attending the memorial, said the tragedy reminded her to cherish her own children. The two wounded women remain in critical condition. Elkins’ nephew was among the deceased children, according to the Caddo Parish coroner’s office. The city of approximately 180,000 residents now grapples with profound loss as investigators work to understand what drove a father to commit such devastating violence against his own family.