Shreveport press conference expected after man kills his 7 children and one other
Police say Shamar Elkins fatally shot eight children in a domestic incident in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Sunday, then carjacked a vehicle and was later killed during a confrontation with officers. Authorities were expected to provide more details at a press conference on Monday.
Victims of the Louisiana shooting identified; ages range from 3-11
Some of the eight children killed in a domestic shooting early Sunday at a home in Shreveport, Louisiana, had tried to escape when the gunfire erupted, officials said.
The children who were killed ranged in age from 3 to 11 years old and included three boys and five girls, according to the Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office. Police said seven are believed to be the children of the suspected gunman, whom they identified as 31-year-old Shamar Elkins.
Seven of the children were killed inside a home, and one was found dead on the roof after apparently trying to escape, police spokesperson Chris Bordelon said. Another child jumped off the roof and was expected to survive after being taken to a hospital.
State Rep. Tammy Phelps said some children tried to get away through the back door.
“I can’t even imagine what the police officers, first responders actually dealt with when they got here today,” she said at a news conference.
Crystal Brown, who is a cousin of one of the two adult women who were also shot in the rampage, described all the children as “happy kids, very friendly, very sweet.”
Police said Elkins had also shot mother of his children, who is expected to survive, and another woman who is suffering life-threatening injuries. A teenage victim also suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Who is Shamar Elkins?
Shamar Elkins, 31, was killed in a confrontation with police after authorities said he killed eight children in a domestic shooting that rocked the community of Shreveport, Louisiana, on Sunday.
In the hours after the deadly mass shooting, which also left two adult women and a teenager wounded, more details about Elkins have emerged.
An Army official told Fox News Digital that Elkins previously served in the Louisiana Army National Guard.
Police spokesperson Chris Bordelon said Elkins had been arrested in a 2019 firearms case, though added that officials were not aware of any other domestic violence issues.
Elkins and his wife were going through a separation and were due in court Monday, according to Crystal Brown, a cousin of one of the women who were shot. She told The Associated Press that the couple had been arguing about the separation before the shooting.
“He murdered his children,” Brown said. “He shot his wife.”
Elkins had four children with his wife and three children with another woman who lived close by and was also shot, according to Brown. All the children were together at one house, she said.
Authorities did not say what may have set off the violence but Bordelon said detectives were confident the shooting was “entirely a domestic incident.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Shreveport officials to address killing of 8 children after suspect dies in police confrontation
Officials in Shreveport, Louisiana, were set to speak Monday afternoon about a domestic shooting that left eight children dead before police killed a suspect during a confrontation.
The press conference will be held at 12:00 p.m. ET at Government Plaza in the city.
Authorities have identified Shamar Elkins as the suspected shooter. Officers shot and killed Elkins in Bossier City after police say he carjacked a vehicle and led officers on a chase.
Seven of the eight children, aged from about 3 to 11, are believed to be Elkins’ children, police said.
Police name Louisiana gunman accused of killing 8 children
Shreveport, Louisiana, police identified Shamar Elkins as the suspect in the shooting that killed eight children, including a 3-year-old, calling it a “heinous act.”
Shreveport Police Department Corporal Christopher Bordelon released the identity while speaking with reporters near the crime scene on Sunday evening. He also said seven of the eight children killed are believed to be Elkins’ children.
Police said the violence unfolded early Sunday during what investigators described as a domestic incident. Eight children, ranging in age from about 3 to 11, were found dead at a home in the 300 block of West 79th Street.
Authorities said Elkins shot the mother of his children, who is expected to survive, while another female who was shot is suffering from life-threatening injuries. A teenage victim also sustained injuries that are considered non-life-threatening.
According to investigators, the suspect first shot an adult female on Harrison Street before traveling to the West 79th Street residence, where the killings occurred. After fleeing, he allegedly carjacked a man at gunpoint near Linwood Avenue and West 79th Street before officers located the vehicle and initiated a pursuit.
The chase continued into Bossier Parish, where officers confronted the suspect and opened fire, killing him at the scene. Authorities said no officers were injured.
Louisiana State Police have taken over the investigation into the officer-involved shooting, while Shreveport police continue to investigate the killings, and are asking anyone with information, photos or video to come forward.
Elkins previously served in the Louisiana Army National Guard, officials said.
“Shamar D. Elkins served in the Louisiana Army National Guard from August 2013 to August 2020 as a Signal Support System Specialist (25U) and a Fire Support Specialist (13F),” an Army official told Fox News Digital. “He has no deployment. He left the Army as a private.”
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