The gunman responsible for the killing of eight children—including seven of his own—in Shreveport, Louisiana, has been identified as Shamar Elkins by the US authorities.
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The eight children who lost their lives in this unparalleled act of brutality were all aged between 3 and 11 years. They were in two different houses when the accused, who was later neutralised by the police, opened fire inside both before fleeing in a stolen vehicle. The gunman also shot the mother of his children and another woman; both survived with serious injuries, the Shreveport Police Department confirmed.
The victims of the shooting were identified as Jayla Elkins (3), Shayla Elkins (5), Kayla Pugh (6), Layla Pugh (7), Markaydon Pugh (10), Sariahh Snow (11), Khedarrion Snow (6), and Braylon Snow (5).
Shreveport shooting: What we know so far
Preliminary information indicated that the suspect first shot a woman and then went to a nearby home where he killed the children, according to a Facebook post from the Shreveport Police.
Shamar Elkins is believed to have acted alone, as investigators suggest domestic issues led to the incident. Elkins served in the Louisiana Army National Guard (LANG) for seven years until 2020, an Army official told USA TODAY. LANG is a dual-status military force that serves both the state of Louisiana and the United States federal government. It is a component of the United States Army and the National Guard of the United States. Private Elkins was a signal systems specialist and a fire support specialist who was never deployed, the news report added.
Elkins had a prior conviction in 2019. According to news articles, he pleaded guilty to the illegal use of weapons and received probation.