'Some people don’t come back from their demons,' Shamar Elkins reportedly told his stepfather a month before killing 7 of his own children, as well as another child

'Some people don’t come back from their demons,' Shamar Elkins reportedly told his stepfather a month before killing 7 of his own children, as well as another child

'Some people don’t come back from their demons,' Shamar Elkins reportedly told his stepfather a month before killing 7 of his own children, as well as another child

Shamar Elkins, the man suspected of shooting seven of his own children—in addition to another child—was allegedly "drowning in dark thoughts" weeks before the mass murder.

The 31-year-old, who was shot dead on Sunday (local time) in a police chase across parts of Shreveport, had allegedly shot the kids—aged 1 to 14—execution-style, the police said.

He had also shot two other people—including his wife, who was hospitalised with life-threatening injuries on Sunday (local time) according to officials and relatives.

Despite Elkins dying after police officers opened fire at him during the chase, it is not yet clear whether he was killed by their gunshots, or by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

As the investigation into Elkins' possible motives and mental health history continue, a New York Times report has shed light on a series of shocking conversations that Shamar had with his family about a month before the shooting spree.

In an Easter Sunday conversation with his mother, Mahelia, and his stepfather, Marcus Jackson, he tearfully revealed his mental health issues, adding that he wanted to take his own life, and that his wife wanted to file for divorce.

In fact, the shooting reportedly took place just hours before he and his wife were supposed to head to a court to legally separate.

“I told him: ‘You can beat stuff, man. I don’t care what you’re going through, you can beat it,’” Jackson told Shamar, as per the report.

“Then I remember him telling me: ‘Some people don’t come back from their demons.’”

Mahelia also noted that she had not been close to her son for most of his life, as she had given birth to him as a teenager, and had been suffering from a cocaine addiction at the time.

Raised by another woman, Betty Walker, Shamar had only reconnected with his mother a decade ago.

Walker, who last saw Shamar when he and his family came to her house for dinner a week ago, told the police that there had acted normally at the time.

(More details are awaited.)

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