Eight children killed in Lousiana, a father chased and shot dead by the police: what we know about the tragedy that shocked all of America

A drama of incredible violence, which shocks America. A family tragedy on an unprecedented scale has struck the town of Shreveport, in northwest Louisiana. A man is suspected of having opened fire in two separate homes, causing the death of eight children, seven of whom were his own.

The unfolding of the facts

Between 5 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. this Sunday morning, a neighbor, alerted by a woman with a gunshot wound to the lower face, alerted the police. The officers dispatched to the scene then discovered victims in two separate homes, while a third location is also involved in the investigation.

The medical examiner’s office said the victims, three boys and five girls, were aged between three and 11 years old. Seven of them belonged to the same siblings and the eighth was their cousin. A ninth child managed to escape the carnage after jumping from a roof, police Corporal Chris Bordelon said at a press conference. He was hospitalized for a minor injury.

Two women were seriously injured by gunfire, including the one who may have raised the alarm. According to the city’s mayor, Tom Arceneaux, on CNN, the latter were relatives of the suspect. One of them was the mother of several children killed.

Suspect chased shot dead

The alleged perpetrator of the shooting, Shamar Elkins (31), identified as the father of seven of the children killed, fled in a stolen vehicle before being chased.

“At the end of this chase, the suspect exited the vehicle with a weapon, and our officers were forced to neutralize him,” explained police Corporal Chris Bordelon. While the man had previously been arrested in 2019 for a weapons offense, authorities emphasized that he had no known history of domestic violence.

The worst killing in more than two years in the country

The tragedy constitutes the deadliest killing on American soil in more than two years. According to the organization Gun Violence Archivenearly 15,000 people lost their lives to firearms in 2025, excluding suicides.

Governor Jeff Landry said he was “heartbroken” over the event. For his part, Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House of Representatives and local elected official, condemned a “senseless tragedy”. The investigation is actively continuing to determine the motives for this crime.