Shamar Elkins Kills Eight Children in Cedar Grove Mass Shooting, Shreveport Police Say

A mass shooting in Shreveport’s Cedar Grove area on Sunday left eight children dead and two women critically injured, after police say a Cedar Grove father opened fire on 11 individuals, killing eight children, seven of which were his.

“A 31-year-old man opened fire in northwestern Louisiana on Sunday morning, killing his seven young children and a cousin in Shreveport”

Al Jazeera

The Shreveport Police Department said the shooting began about 05:00 (10:00 GMT) on Sunday, and officers described it as a “domestic disturbance” and “domestic in nature.”

Al Jazeera

Police said the suspect, identified as Shamar Elkins, shot his wife and another woman and then moved to another residence where eight children and another adult were killed.

Shreveport Police officer Chris Bordelon said police responded to reports of gunfire in the Cedar Grove area shortly after 6am (11:00 GMT) on Sunday, and reports said the shooting started at around 5am (10:00 GMT).

Multiple outlets described the attack as spanning more than one location, with BBC saying the father killed seven of his children and an eighth child in Shreveport, and CNN describing shootings at two separate homes.

The suspect was later shot dead in the Tiburon neighborhood in Bossier City after leading police on a chase, with KSLA saying it was unclear if police fired the fatal shot or if the suspect shot and killed himself.

In the aftermath, Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux told CNN affiliate KSLA that “This is a tragic situation, maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had in Shreveport,” while Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said, “I cannot begin to imagine how such an event could occur,” according to BET.

Authorities and local reporting placed the first gunfire in the Cedar Grove area shortly after 6 a.m., with CNN saying Shreveport police received a call from someone on the roof of a house on West 79th Street just before 6 a.m. and that dispatch was told nine people lived at the home.

CNN said that “6:01 a.m. officers arrived on the scene,” and minutes later police received a call about another shooting on Harrison Street, where a woman said her boyfriend had shot her and taken her three children.

BBC

CNN reported that by 6:10 a.m., authorities realized the shootings were connected, and around 6:15 a.m. Elkins carjacked a vehicle and led authorities on a chase into Bossier Parish, with officers shooting him at 6:29 a.m. and pronouncing him dead at 7:03 a.m.

KSLA’s timeline similarly said the suspect was identified as Shamar Elkins, 31, and that he was the father of seven of the eight deceased children.

Multiple outlets identified the children by name and age, including Jayla Elkins, 3; Shayla Elkins, 5; Kayla Pugh, 6; Layla Pugh, 7; Markaydon Pugh, 10; Sariahh Snow, 11; Khedarrion Snow, 6; and Braylon Snow, 5.

BBC said the children were aged between three to 11, and it described the youngest victim as Jayla Elkins, just 3 years old.

Several reports also described escape attempts during the attack, with BBC saying “a ninth child was taken to hospital after jumping from the roof of the home while escaping,” and CNN saying a 13-year-old boy who jumped off the building’s roof had “some broken bones” and was expected to recover.

In the immediate response, KTBS said the children were shot just before 6 a.m. at a house in the 300 block of West 79th Street, and it described multiple related scenes including one on Harrison Street and a third in Bossier City on Brompton Lane near Long Acre Drive.

Police and officials repeatedly characterized the attack as connected to a domestic dispute and a separation between Elkins and his wife.

“Eight children are dead and two women were wounded after a gunman opened fire across two homes in Shreveport, Louisiana, early Sunday morning in what police are calling a domestic violence incident”

BET

BBC said officers called it a “domestic disturbance,” and CNN quoted Shreveport police Cpl. Chris Bordelon saying, “The rampage was “domestic in nature,” Shreveport police Cpl. Chris Bordelon said.”

Al Jazeera reported that Crystal Brown, a cousin of one of the injured women, said Elkins and his wife were in the process of separating and had a court date scheduled for Monday, and it said the couple had been arguing over the split before the shooting.

Al Jazeera also said authorities described the attack as a “violent domestic incident,” and it reported that one child managed to escape by jumping from the roof and calling authorities.

Family members told The New York Times that Elkins had been under emotional strain in the lead-up to the shooting, with CNN quoting his stepfather Marcus Jackson saying, “Then I remember him telling me: ‘Some people don’t come back from their demons.’”

CNN also reported that Elkins and his wife were in the middle of separating and had been arguing prior to the shooting, and it said Crystal Brown told The Associated Press that the couple were separating and had been due to appear in court on Monday.

The Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate said police described the shooting as a domestic dispute and that the perpetrator was the father of 7 of the children, with an eighth shot on the roof after attempting to escape through a window.

In addition to the domestic framing, KTBS said the initial investigation indicates the shooting was a domestic situation, and it described a large operation with three crime scenes in Shreveport and the Bossier City investigation under Louisiana State Police.

In the hours after the shooting, local leaders and institutions issued statements and held public updates, while police and state agencies continued investigations.

The Shreveport Times reported that Caddo Commissioner Steffon Jones said, “Please forgive me for not having an official statement prepared. My heart is broken, and I simply don’t have the words right now. Please pray.”

CNN

The Caddo Parish Commission said it was “heartbroken by the senseless act of violence in Shreveport this morning,” and it added, “We mourn the loss of eight children taken far too soon.”

Caddo Parish District Attorney James Stewart said, “What began as a domestic dispute has ended in irreversible harm,” and he urged that “Domestic violence is not a private matter. It is a community issue with far-reaching consequences, often affecting the most vulnerable among us — our children.”

At a Monday news conference, Fox8Live said Councilman James Green and other city leaders gathered at 11 a.m. at Government Plaza, where Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux emphasized “the importance of seeking resources that are available to those who may be experiencing abuse and violence.”

Fox8Live reported that Council Chair Tabatha Taylor said the family asks the public to “allow them to grieve and go through this process,” and it said she also remarked that the family wants everyone to allow Shreveport Police to do their job in this investigation.

Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith gave a detailed account of the timeline of events before, during, and after the shooting, according to Fox8Live, and KTBS said Louisiana State Police was investigating the Bossier City portion of the chase.

The Shreveport Times statement encouraged residents to seek help, including the “Local Domestic Violence Hotline is 888-411-1333” and if in immediate danger “please call 911.”

Reporting also described Elkins’ prior legal history and the scale of the response, while officials said investigations were ongoing.

“Shreveport mass shooting update: What happened in Cedar Grove today”

Hindustan Times

KTBS said the suspect Elkins, 31, has a prior criminal conviction in Caddo District Court, and it reported he was arrested in March 2019 on a charge of illegal use of weapons and carrying a firearm on school property, adding that he pleaded guilty to the illegal weapons charge in October 2019 and was placed on probation for 18 months.

Hindustan Times

The Louisiana Illuminator similarly said police said Elkins was arrested in 2019 on a firearms charge, resulting in a sentence of 18 months probation, and it described the children’s ages as ranging from 3 to 11.

KTBS added operational details, saying there were three crime scenes in Shreveport and that it was “going to take several hours to process,” and it quoted Cpl. Chris Bordelon saying, “We want to thank LSP for coming in and helping because this is a, this is a large operation.”

Multiple outlets also described the chase and the suspect’s death, with BBC saying officers chased and killed him, while KSLA said it was unclear if police fired the fatal shot or if the suspect shot and killed himself.

In the immediate aftermath, officials and neighbors described the scene as unprecedented, with BET quoting Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith saying, “This is an extensive scene unlike anything most of us have ever seen,” and with BBC quoting Mayor Tom Arceneaux saying it was “maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had in Shreveport.”

The Shreveport Times statement also emphasized prevention and support, encouraging people experiencing domestic violence to seek assistance and listing hotline and local organizations, while Fox8Live said Councilman Grayson Boucher noted “there are four total police jurisdictions working the multi-scene crime investigation.”

As investigations continued, CNN said police were still working to determine “a complete motive and understanding as to why this happened,” and it reiterated that police described the incident as domestic in nature.