Male, 31, fatally shoots 8 children execution style; 7 were his own kids: Report



A 31-year-old male fatally shot eight children execution style in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Sunday morning — and seven of the victims were the shooter's own children, authorities told the New York Times.

The gunman, Shamar Elkins — who was fatally shot following a police chase — had mental health problems and recently had expressed suicidal thoughts, the Times said, citing family members' statements in interviews.

'My babies — my babies are gone.'

The children ranged in age from 1 to 14, officials told the paper, and seven of the eight were Elkins' own children. A Shreveport Police Department spokesman said he shot them execution style, the Times reported.

Elkins also shot two other people, including his wife, who was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, the paper said, citing officials and relatives.

Following the shootings, authorities said Elkins took a car by force, and police pursued him, the Times said. Officers opened fire, and Elkins died, Cpl. Chris Bordelon of the Shreveport Police Department said in a news conference, according to the paper. It's unclear if officers killed Elkins, or if he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Times said.

Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux said it's “maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had," according to the paper.

RELATED: Masked men open fire after storming into Chick-fil-A; 1 dead, 6 injured; manhunt under way

While police haven't offered a possible motive, the Times said relatives in interviews noted that Elkins recently struggled with mental health and was stressed about his relationship with his wife, Shaneiqua Pugh.

More from the paper:

Earlier this month, on Easter Sunday, he called his mother, Mahelia Elkins, and his stepfather, Marcus Jackson. Ms. Elkins and Mr. Jackson said in interviews that their son sounded despondent. They said they could hear his children playing in the background during the call.

Mr. Elkins told them through tears that he wanted to take his own life. He told Mr. Jackson that his wife wanted a divorce, and that he was drowning in “dark thoughts.”

“I told him, ‘You can beat stuff, man. I don’t care what you’re going through, you can beat it,’” Mr. Jackson said. “Then I remember him telling me: ‘Some people don’t come back from their demons.’”

Elkins' mother told the Times she didn't know precisely what problems her son was having with his wife. The paper said records indicate they were married in 2024. Elkins' mother added to the Times that her son worked for UPS and had served in the Army.

The Army told the paper in a Sunday statement that Elkins served in the Louisiana Army National Guard from August 2013 to August 2020 as a signal support system specialist and a fire support specialist. The Times added that Elkins had no deployment and left the Army as a private.

Elkins' mother also told the paper she wasn't extremely close with her son; she had given birth to him when she was a teenager and struggling with a crack cocaine addiction. The Times added that she had a family friend — Betty Walker — raise Elkins, and he and his mother reconnected more than a decade ago.

Walker spoke to authorities Sunday, the paper said. While she didn't witness the shootings, Walker said in an interview that Elkins shot his wife several times, including in the head and in the stomach, the Times reported.

Walker told the paper she last saw Elkins last weekend when his family came over for dinner, and nothing appeared off with him at the time: “I was getting up this morning to make myself some coffee, and I got the call. My babies — my babies are gone.”

The Times, citing records, reported that Elkins had at least two prior convictions, including driving while intoxicated in 2016 and illegal use of weapons in 2019.

The paper said a police description of the March 2019 incident notes that Elkins pulled a 9-millimeter handgun from his waistband and shot at a vehicle five times after the driver of the car pulled a silver handgun on him. One of the bullets Elkins shot was found near a school where children were playing outside, the Times said.

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Man calls 911 about masked crooks breaking into cars. But one of them goes after caller — a big mistake, since he has a gun.



A homeowner in Shreveport, Louisiana, was outside smoking a cigarette around 3:30 a.m. Saturday when he saw two masked individuals breaking into cars on the street, KSLA-TV reported.

The homeowner called 911 to report what he was observing in the 7600 block of University Drive, the station said.

Detectives believe Lewis and at least one other person are responsible for a series of crimes in the area, including at least five vehicle burglaries, a firearm theft, and a motor vehicle theft, the station said.

However, while the homeowner was on the 911 call, one of the alleged burglars began to approach him, KSLA said.

The homeowner told the alleged burglar to stop approaching him, the station said, but those instructions reportedly went unheeded.

“Fearing for his and his family’s safety, the caller discharged his firearm twice, striking 18-year-old Jamelvion Lewis,” police Cpl. Chris Bordelon told KSLA.

Lewis was shot in his lower abdomen and right arm, authorities noted to the station.

Officers rendered aid to Lewis, who then was taken to Ochsner LSU Health for treatment of life-threatening injuries, KSLA said.

“His condition has since been upgraded to critical but stable, and doctors are hopeful he will make a full recovery,” Bordelon said of Lewis, according to the station.

The other burglary suspect escaped the scene in a stolen vehicle but abandoned it after traveling a short distance, KSLA reported, adding that the suspect ran off. Police are looking for him, the station added.

Lewis has been charged with one count of possession of a stolen firearm because officers discovered he had a gun later confirmed to have been reported stolen out of Bossier City, KSLA said, adding that additional charges are expected.

Detectives believe Lewis and at least one other person are responsible for a series of crimes in the area, including at least five vehicle burglaries, a firearm theft, and a motor vehicle theft, the station said.

Police said witnesses at the scene were taken to the Violent Crimes Unit for recorded interviews, KSLA added.

The homeowner surrendered his gun and fully cooperated with investigators, the station reported, adding that no charges are pending against him.

You can view a video report here about the incident.

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Woman opens fire on burglary suspect who allegedly tried to steal from her backyard. Cops find him hiding in unusual spot.



A woman opened fire on a burglary suspect who allegedly tried to steal items from her backyard in Shreveport, Louisiana, early Friday morning; police found the suspect hiding in a neighbor's dryer following a chase that lasted several hours, KSLA-TV reported.

Police at 5:10 a.m. responded to a report about shots fired on West Canal Street in the Sunset Acres neighborhood, the station said.

'I was in there reading my Bible and seen these police come up the driveway and went in the back.'

When officers arrived on scene, they encountered a homeowner who reportedly fired shots at a male who was allegedly trying to steal lawn equipment from her backyard, KSLA said.

The station said a neighbor rang the homeowner's doorbell around 4:30 a.m. saying there was someone in her backyard, and some of her belongings were spotted on the sidewalk.

Rochelle Baylor, the homeowner, told KSLA she "ran up on" the suspect, demanded to know where her property was, and opened fire "about five or six times."

Lt. Shawn Hurd told the station the suspect "ended up calling his mom to come get him," and "we ended up chasing him for miles."

KSLA said police chased the suspect for hours before they found him hiding inside neighbor James Wall's clothes dryer.

“I was in there reading my Bible and seen these police come up the driveway and went in the back,” Wall told the station in the aftermath. "We have some problems like this every once in a while, but none like this. It was like the whole police force showed up.”

KSLA said Baylor's shots didn't hit the suspect, but police said he was found covered in blood, noting that he may have been injured on barbed-wire fencing while on the run.

Joshua Dotson, 28, was charged with simple burglary, the station said.

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