Who was Shamar Elkins? Louisiana gunman who killed 8 children in mass shooting

Louisiana community is mourning the loss of 8 children who became the victims of a mass shooting in Shreveport on Sunday, April 19, 2026.

On Sunday morning, a tragic incident of mass shooting shocked the community in Shreveport when a gunman opened fire and killed eight children, between the ages of 3 and 11 years old.

The latest incident marks the deadliest mass shooting in a period of over two years.

Louisiana police have identified the gunman as a 31-year-old Shamar Elkins, who shot and killed his seven children and a cousin.

The shooting incident also resulted in wounding two women, including his spouse before the dawn’s first crack in a rampage at least in two locations.

After the shooting, which officials described as “homicide in nature,” the gunman escaped the scene in carjacked vehicle.

As a result of a police chase, the suspect in a crossfire was shot and killed by officers.

The Coroner’s office at the Caddo Parish has confirmed the identities of the victims.

These include 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.

Who was the gunman?

Shamar Elkins spent seven years in the Louisiana Army National Guard. From August 2013 to August 2020, as a signal support system expert and a fire support specialist, per CNN.

Elkins was never stationed and exited the Army in 2020, and their rank at the time of leaving was EI (private).

The outlet also reported Elkins’ past criminal record, as he had two prior criminal convictions in Caddo District Court.

As per the court records, Elkins married Shaneiqua Pugh, 34, about two years ago.

As per NYT, Elkins had a troubled domestic life and a strained relationship with his wife.

In a separate report by AP, which highlighted that the couple was in the middle of a separation and had a heated argument just moments before the shooting.

The shooting is seen as the deadliest in the U.S. since January 2024, when a 23-year-old man shot eight people, most of them his relatives, in a Chicago suburb.