Authorities are investigating a catastrophic domestic massacre that left eight children dead Sunday morning. The suspect, identified by the Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office as Shamar Elkins, reportedly exhibited escalating mental instability and issued chilling warnings to family members in the days leading up to the attack.
The shooting occurred shortly before 6 a.m. on April 19 at a residence in North Shreveport. Police say Elkins opened fire on his family before fleeing the scene. He was later killed during a high-speed police pursuit after carjacking a vehicle.
The victims, ranging in age from 3 to 11, included seven of Elkins’ children and one cousin:
- Jayla Elkins (3), Shayla Elkins (5), Khedarrion Snow (6), and Braylon Snow (5)
- Kayla Pugh (6), Layla Pugh (7), Markaydon Pugh (10), and Sariahh Snow (11)
Two adult women—Elkins’ wife and a woman identified as his girlfriend—survived the shooting with injuries. A third survivor, a teenager, escaped the carnage by jumping from the roof of the home, resulting in multiple broken bones.
Investigative leads suggest the massacre followed a period of acute psychological distress. According to family statements provided to The New York Times, Elkins called his mother and stepfather on Easter Sunday in tears. During the call, he expressed suicidal ideation and cited an impending divorce.
His stepfather, Marcus Jackson, recalled Elkins mentioning “dark thoughts.” When Jackson encouraged him to persevere, Elkins reportedly responded: “Some people don’t come back from their demons.”
Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith, a veteran of nearly 50 years in law enforcement, described the scene as unprecedented in its magnitude. Local officials are now pointing to the tragedy as a failure of the systems designed to intercede in domestic crises.
“A tragedy like this does not belong to one family alone—it belongs to all of us,” said Mayor Tom Arceneaux. He emphasized that the community must address “untreated trauma and the silence that allows both to grow.”
The investigation remains active as detectives reconstruct the timeline of Elkins’ movements and the specific firearms used in the assault. Counseling services have been deployed to the neighborhood as the city grapples with one of the deadliest domestic shootings in Louisiana history.
