Shreveport police rushed to a cluster of homes in northwest Louisiana before dawn on April 19, 2026, where gunfire had shattered the quiet morning. Shamar Elkins, a 31-year-old Army National Guard veteran, had just killed eight children in a rampage that left neighborhoods reeling. The victims, ranging in age from 1 to 14, included seven of Elkins' own children and one other young boy.
The horror unfolded around 6 a.m. after a domestic disturbance call pulled officers to the first location on Wildwood Street in Shreveport's Mooretown area. Elkins opened fire inside the home, striking multiple children. He then moved to at least one other nearby residence, continuing the attack. Ten people were shot in total, police confirmed, with two women left in critical condition at a local hospital.
Wayne Smith, Shreveport Police Chief, stood before cameras later that morning, his voice heavy.
Elkins fled the scenes in a vehicle, sparking a high-speed chase across the Red River into Bossier Parish. Officers caught up with him on traffic-clogged roads near the Louisiana Boardwalk. When he stopped and refused commands, police fired, killing him at the scene around 7:15 a.m. No officers were injured in the exchange.
Chris Bordelon, Shreveport Police Spokesperson, described the investigation's scale during a midday briefing.
This is an extensive scene unlike anything most of us have ever seen.— Chris Bordelon, Shreveport Police Spokesperson. Crime scene tape stretched across three homes by noon, with investigators combing for shell casings and witness statements. Neighbors reported hearing bursts of gunfire and children screaming before sirens wailed.
Victims' identities emerged slowly through the day. Elkins' seven children—five girls and two boys—died at the first house. The eighth, a 14-year-old boy not related by blood, fell at the second location. Autopsies at the Caddo Parish Coroner's Office confirmed the deaths by gunshot wounds. The two surviving women, believed to be mothers or relatives, underwent emergency surgery at Ochsner LSU Health.
Elkins' military background surfaced in records checks. He served in the Louisiana Army National Guard until discharge two years prior, sources close to the family told reporters. No prior domestic violence arrests appeared in public databases, though neighbors whispered of heated arguments in recent months.
Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux arrived at the command post by mid-morning, consoling distraught residents. These were innocent lives cut short in the place they called home, — Tom Arceneaux, Shreveport Mayor, said, urging the city to unite. Faith leaders gathered at a nearby church, opening doors for counseling as yellow buses ferried displaced families to temporary shelters.
Federal agents from the FBI joined local police by afternoon, classifying the incident as a targeted domestic mass killing. Ballistics teams traced the weapon to a legally purchased handgun registered in Elkins' name. Motive remains under investigation, with cell phone data and home security footage pulled for analysis.
Community members lit candles outside the taped-off homes as dusk fell. A grandmother of one victim collapsed in tears, murmuring prayers. Police Chief Smith vowed full transparency, promising daily updates amid an outpouring of national media attention. The Red River city, home to 185,000, braced for funerals in the days ahead.
