Authorities in Shreveport have identified the man accused of carrying out a mass shooting that killed eight children, including seven of his own.
Officials say Shamar Elkins carried out the April 19 attack and have described the incident as an act of domestic violence. The victims ranged in age from 1 to 12, according to Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Christopher Bordelon, who spoke to The Shreveport Times.
Bordelon said the gunman also shot the mother of his children and another woman, both of whom sustained serious injuries. Authorities have not released the victims’ names.
“I just cannot begin to imagine how such an event can occur,” said Wayne Smith. He added that he has “never encountered anything of this magnitude” in more than four decades in law enforcement.
Background on the Suspect
Court records show Elkins previously pleaded guilty to a weapons charge and served probation in 2019. A Facebook account linked to him shows multiple images of his children, including one posted two days before the shooting.
Another post shows Elkins posing with seven children on Easter Sunday.
“Happy Easter had a wonderful time at church for the first time with all my kids what a blessed day,” the caption read.
Encounter Before Attack
Freddie Montgomery, who lives across the street from the scene, said he saw Elkins the day before the shooting.
“Just yesterday afternoon, about this time, the possible person that did this thing was sitting on the porch and I waved at him yesterday. He waved at me,” Montgomery said, speaking to The Shreveport Times. He added: “All the kids were playing in the yard.”
Montgomery said that on the morning of April 19, he heard a loud voice outside and saw officers entering the neighbor’s home while he was preparing for church.
“That’s when I knew something was wrong,” he said.
