Early Sunday morning in Shreveport, Louisiana, a mass shooting claimed the lives of eight young people. All were under the age of 12. Seven were siblings. The eighth was their cousin. Law enforcement officials have called it the deadliest such event in the United States in over two years.
The shooter was identified as 31‑year‑old Shamar Elkins. Police say he fled the scene after the killings and later died during an exchange of gunfire with officers. Most of the victims were his own children. Authorities used words like “disgusting” and “evil” to describe what happened.
The children who died were 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. They were found across two different houses in the Cedar Grove neighborhood. Investigators say many of them were shot while asleep. One child was discovered on the roof of a home, apparently trying to escape. A teenager survived by jumping from that same roof.
The violence began around 5:55 a.m. at a home on Harrison Street. Elkins shot his former wife, Christina Snow, nine times. She survived. She told police that Elkins then left with her three children. He drove to another residence on West 79th Street. There, all eight children were killed. Two adult women were also shot and seriously hurt while trying to run away. Those women were Elkins’ current wife, Shaneiqua Pugh, and her sister.
Afterward, Elkins stole a car and left Shreveport. Police chased him into Bossier Parish. Officers confronted him in Bossier City. Elkins fired at them. They fired back. He was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers were injured. People nearby described hearing what sounded like a “full‑blown shootout” as police tried to stop him.
Records show Elkins had prior weapons violations, including a 2019 conviction for firing a gun illegally near a school. He also served in the Louisiana Army National Guard from 2013 to 2020, working as a signal support system specialist and a fire support specialist. Relatives told investigators that in the weeks before the killings, Elkins had been dealing with mental health struggles and what they called “dark thoughts.”
Following the massacre, federal authorities arrested a 56‑year‑old man named Charles Ford. They accuse him of providing the firearm that Elkins used. Ford has a prior felony conviction. He now faces charges of felon in possession of a weapon and making false statements to federal agents. If convicted, he could receive up to 20 years in federal prison. The ATF traced the gun back to Ford. He reportedly admitted that the weapon had been under his car seat and said he believed Elkins took it.