This article reports on a deadly three-location mass shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, where ten people were struck by gunfire and eight children were killed, examines updates to the ages and identity of the shooter, notes law enforcement statements about the domestic nature of the attack and its devastating impact on the community, and preserves the main quoted material released by authorities.
Sunday’s violence unfolded across multiple sites and left a community reeling. Initial reports said ten people were shot, eight of whom died, and police later engaged and fatally shot a suspect during a vehicle pursuit. The scale and cruelty of the attack shocked neighbors and first responders who arrived at an extensive crime scene in the early morning hours.
Warning: story contains graphic decriptions of violence
The rawness of the situation has prompted ongoing updates as investigators piece together timeline and motive. Early reporting conveyed the heartbreaking news that children were among the victims, with ages initially reported in a wider range. Authorities cautioned that details could change as they confirmed identities and relationships among those involved.
Eight children between the ages of one and 14 years old are dead after a domestic disturbance around 6 a.m. in Shreveport, Louisiana. Two adults are reportedly wounded and the shooting suspect is dead, Cpl. Christopher Bordelon said in a press conference.
Officers responded to a “rather extensive” crime scene in the 300 block of West 79 Street, the Shreveport Police Department said in a press conference.
“Right now, we have at least 10 individuals that were struck by gunfire last night in a domestic disturbance,” Bordelon said. “Eight of these individuals are deceased. The ranges of the decedents are from one years of age to approximately 14 years of age.”
Some of the children were related to the male shooter, who hasn’t yet been named.
The shooting suspect allegedly carjacked someone at the corner of West 79th and Lynwood when local police chased the vehicle and they reportedly fatally shot the suspect.
Shortly after this initial bulletin, authorities revised the age range of the children who were killed. The updated count narrowed the ages to a younger bracket and identified the suspect by name. Investigators emphasized the domestic setting of the violence while continuing to seek motive and full context behind the killings.
The children who died ranged in age from 1 to 12, Shreveport Police Cpl. Chris Bordelon told the Associated Press. Police said earlier the ages ranged from 1 to 14.
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Bordelon identified the gunman as Shamar Elkins.
The revised report carried a further, gut-wrenching detail: seven of the eight children killed were the suspect’s own children. That fact dramatically deepens the tragedy and raises painful questions about domestic violence, family welfare, and warning signs missed before the carnage. Police described the event as domestic in nature while stopping short of a full explanation for why it happened.
Two adult women were also shot during the incident, one of whom is the mother of some of the children, and at least one adult remained in critical condition at the time authorities spoke publicly. Emergency medical crews treated multiple victims at the scene and hospitals received those who could be transported alive. Local leaders and investigators acknowledged the strain on medical resources and on families facing sudden loss and uncertainty.
Law enforcement said the fatal encounter with the suspect occurred after an apparent carjacking and a brief pursuit. Officers engaged the vehicle and the suspect was shot and killed during the chase, according to statements given at a press conference. Investigators continue to reconstruct the sequence of events that led to the pursuit and the final confrontation.
City officials described the emotional shock that spread across Shreveport after news of the shootings. “It rattles the entire city,” Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux said publicly, acknowledging a community-wide grief and outrage. Officials noted at least one teen survivor with non-life-threatening injuries, a small detail of relief amid the overwhelming destruction.
Local law enforcement teams and federal partners moved quickly to secure scenes, collect evidence, and notify next of kin, while prosecutors and homicide detectives prepared for a complex investigation. Detectives are interviewing witnesses, reviewing surveillance and phone records, and attempting to build a clear timeline that explains how a domestic disturbance escalated into mass murder and a fatal police shooting.
This event highlights both the brutality of a singular criminal act and the ripple effects that reach far beyond the immediate neighborhood. Churches, charities, and civic groups mobilized to aid surviving relatives and to arrange funerals and counseling for traumatized children and adults. City leaders and community organizers urged calm while promising resources and cooperation with investigators.
As authorities continue their work, many questions remain unanswered about motive, warning signs, and the full list of victims. The investigative process will determine what led to the loss of so many young lives and whether opportunities existed to prevent the tragedy. Meanwhile, residents, first responders, and families begin the slow, painful task of coping with a city forever altered by this morning’s violence.
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