William Morgan
The perpetrator of the horrific mass shooting in Louisiana yesterday that claimed the lives of eight young children has been identified by police.
Shamar Elkins, 31, was identified at a Shreveport press conference today (April 20) as the man suspected of the deadly gun violence that resulted in 10 people being shot, two of whom were adults, and the rest children.
Louisiana police also tragically revealed that Elkins was the father of seven of the eight children shot dead yesterday, in a murderous spree that began with him shooting his wife and another woman who was the mother of the eighth child.
Police spokesperson Christopher Bordelon described how Sunday's rampage started as a domestic violence situation, ultimately ending with law enforcement shooting Elkins dead after he fled in a vehicle he had carjacked.
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The horrifying incident unfolded early, around 6am on Sunday, with police officers responding to calls about a domestic disturbance at the 300 block of West 79th, where they found an 'extensive' crime scene.
Officers discovered that Elkins had first shot a woman on a road nearby, before going to his home and shooting another woman, as well as all eight of the young children at the address.
The eight young victims of Elkins murder spree, three boys and five girls, ranged in age from three to just 11. While seven of the children belonged to him, the other child shot dead was one of their cousins.
Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office identified the victims 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.
Early reports indicate that many of the children were likely shot in their sleep, with most being shot in the head, according to the Louisiana police spokesperson. Bordelon said that officers found a 'disgusting and evil scene' on entering the property.
Distraught Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith told NBC: “I just don’t know what to say. My heart is just taken aback. I just cannot begin to imagine how such an event can occur.”
After shooting all eight children dead, police say Elkins fled to a nearby intersection where he stole someone's vehicle at gunpoint. He was then shot dead by police in a neighboring area following a pursuit.
A police statement reads: “Officers were forced to discharge their department-issued firearms, neutralizing the suspect.” It is believed that Elkins used a small-caliber handgun in the attack, with a 'rifle-style pistol' found on his body after his death.
Elkins shot 10 people in total before he was killed by Louisiana police, with only the two women immediately surviving the attack. One of them was Elkins' wife, who was shot in the face and remains in a critical condition in hospital.
The other woman is understood to be Elkins' girlfriend, with law enforcement investigating the precise reason why Elkins set out on his bloody rampage on Sunday morning.
Spokesperson Bordelon added: “We know it’s domestic in nature, we know his wife is involved, and she is the mother of at least seven of the children, with the eighth being a family friend.”
While tributes pour in for the slain children and politicians across the state expressing their heartbreak, neighbors have shared their disbelief at the horrors that unfolded on Sunday morning.
One woman who lives across from the address where eight children were shot dead told NBC that she had seen a number of police officers enter the home at around 6.30am.
Shreveport resident Marie Montgomery said: “When they brought all those kids out of that house, that’s just the worst thing I ever seen."