US4 min(s) read
Published 09:20 20 Apr 2026 GMT
A Louisiana shooter who killed eight children had issued a disturbing warning just weeks before the attack.
Shamar Elkins, 31, went on a murderous rampage in Shreveport at around 6AM on Sunday (April 19) after arguing with his wife.
He fatally shot seven of his own children and their cousin. The victims have been identified as Jayla Elkins, three, Shayla Elkins, five, Kayla Pugh, six, Layla Pugh, seven, Markaydon Pugh, 10; Sariahh Snow, 11; Khedarrion Snow, six; and Braylon Snow, five, CNN reported.
Several of the children were found inside the home, many shot in the head as they slept. One child was killed on the roof while trying to escape.
The attack also left two women wounded, believed to be the mothers of his children.
Authorities say Elkins later died after being shot by police following a carjacking and chase into a neighboring parish.
On Easter Sunday, just weeks before the killings, Elkins called his mother, Mahelia Elkins, and stepfather, Marcus Jackson, confessing he was struggling mentally and contemplating suicide.
"I told him, 'You can beat stuff, man. I don’t care what you’re going through, you can beat it,'" Jackson said, per The New York Times. "Then I remember him telling me: 'Some people don’t come back from their demons.'"
Family members said they were unaware of the full extent of the issues between Elkins and his wife, Shaneiqua Pugh. However, a relative confirmed the couple was in the middle of separation proceedings and due in court the following day.
The couple had been arguing about their relationship coming to an end when Elkins - who cops later killed - opened fire, relative Crystal Brown told AP News.
The gunman, who worked at UPS and previously served in the Louisiana Army National Guard from 2013 to 2020, had prior run-ins with the law.
In 2019, he fired five rounds at a vehicle near a school after another driver pulled a gun on him. He was also convicted of driving while intoxicated in 2016 and illegal use of weapons in 2019.
A coworker described him as a devoted father but noted he appeared under intense stress, sometimes pulling out his hair.
His mother said she had reconnected with him years earlier after he was raised by a family friend while she battled addiction.
That friend, Betty Walker, had seen him just days before the shooting and noticed nothing unusual.
"I was getting up this morning to make myself some coffee, and I got the call," Walker said. "My babies - my babies are gone."
The shooting has shaken the entire city of Shreveport, where officials say domestic violence plays a role in homicides. "It rattles the entire city," Mayor Tom Arceneaux said. "It affects us all."
Arceneaux described the tragedy as a "tragic situation" and possibly the "worst" in the city’s history, adding that it reaches "far beyond the scene itself".
"These are the kinds of moments that leave a lasting imprint - on our hearts, on our minds, and on our sense of safety," the mayor said.
Police Chief Wayne Smith added: "My heart is just taken aback. I just cannot begin to imagine how such an event can occur. I just don’t know what to say."
City councilwoman Tabatha H. Taylor made an emotional plea for support. "I’m going to ask the community, along with prayer, with every mental health consultant, counselor, that is out here: This family and this community needs you... I need you. Because how do we get through this?"
US House Speaker Mike Johnson described the tragedy as "heartbreaking," while Superintendent Keith Burton encouraged unity.
"We’re holding the victims, their families and loved ones, and our Shreveport community close in our thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time," Johnson said.
Burton added the community "must take care of our children, support our families, and stand beside our educators and first responders who are carrying the weight of this moment".
Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy.
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