Mass shooting incident in Shreveport, Louisiana leaves eight children dead

On April 19, 2026, 31-year-old Shamar Elkins, a military veteran, killed eight children in Shreveport, Louisiana, in an incident authorities described as a domestic dispute. The victims, whose ages are reported between 1 and 14 years old, were shot in different locations. Two adult women, including the children's mother, sustained critical, life-threatening head injuries, and another teenager was injured. Elkins initially shot a woman in the street before proceeding to a residence to attack the children. He subsequently fled the scene, stole a vehicle, led police on a pursuit, and was ultimately killed by law enforcement. Evidence indicates Elkins had previously been arrested in 2019 for illegal firearm usage near a school. Local authorities and international reports indicate that seven of the eight deceased children were his own offspring, with the eighth child being unrelated. This event is cited as one of the deadliest mass shootings in the United States since January 2024.