8 Children Killed in La. Shooting; Suspect Fatally Shot by Police

Eight juveniles between the ages of 3 and 11 were killed early Sunday in a mass shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, that police described as a domestic incident ending with the suspected gunman being fatally shot by police following a chase.

The violence began just before 6 a.m. when Shamar Elkins, 31, allegedly shot his wife at a home in Shreveport, CNN reports. He then traveled to a second house, where he opened fire on eight children and another woman.

"It appears this man entered the home and began to execute children," Chris Bordelon, a Shreveport police spokesman, said, according to the Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate.

"A lot of the children were asleep," he added.

Police said seven of the children who were killed were Elkins’ sons and daughters, while the eighth was his cousin. The shooting was the deadliest in the country since 2024, according to CNN.

“This is a tragic situation, maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had in Shreveport,” Mayor Tom Arceneaux said during a news conference.

A 13‑year‑old boy escaped the second home by making it to the roof and jumping off, police said. He suffered broken bones and is expected to survive.

After the shootings, Elkins allegedly carjacked a vehicle, kicking off a police chase. The pursuit ended when officers shot Elkins, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators said Elkins’ wife was seriously injured in the first shooting. The second woman—identified as the mother of Elkins’ cousin—suffered life‑threatening injuries.

Authorities described the shootings as a domestic incident, but a specific motive hasn't been determined. The incident is under investigation.