Police in Shreveport identified shamar elkins on April 19, 2026 ET as the man responsible for a deadly domestic shooting in the Cedar Grove neighborhood that killed eight children and injured two women. The case has spread across multiple locations, with investigators describing a scene that began on Harrison Street and continued to a second home on W 79th Street near Linwood. Authorities say shamar elkins was the father of seven of the eight children killed.
Police said a ninth child, a 13-year-old boy, escaped by jumping from the roof of the home and suffered broken bones but is expected to recover physically. Two women were shot, including Elkins’ wife, who was hit in the face, underwent surgery and is expected to survive. A third woman is believed to have escaped, while the condition of the other woman remains very serious.
What investigators say happened
Police say the incident began on Harrison Street, where Elkins’ wife was shot. From there, investigators say Elkins went to the second home and shot the second woman and the children. The juvenile victims ranged in age from 1 to about 14 years old, and police said a total of 10 people were shot.
The dead included seven children confirmed by police to be Elkins’ own and one additional child whose parents have not been identified publicly. Police said the case affects multiple families and that the full picture of the relationships inside the home is still being pieced together.
Shamar Elkins and the chase into Bossier City
After the shootings, police say shamar elkins was involved in a carjacking and then fled into Bossier City, where he was later shot dead during a chase. Officers said gunfire was exchanged in the 400 block of Brompton Lane, but it remains unclear whether Elkins died by his own hand or from a police bullet.
Louisiana State Police has been asked by Shreveport police to investigate the shooting of Elkins. State police said no officers were hurt in the Bossier City exchange.
Immediate reaction from police
SPD Cpl. Chris Bordelon said, “These victims, we have to do right by them. ” Police also said the crime scene extends across four locations, including two homes, the site of the carjacking, and the place where Elkins was shot dead.
Shreveport police said counseling and mental health services will be available for responding officers. Officials described the scene as unusually extensive and said even experienced responders had not seen anything quite like it.
What happens next
Investigators are still gathering details, including the motive, which remains unclear. Louisiana State Police continues its review, and Shreveport police are still working to determine the full sequence of events and the identities tied to the eighth child who was killed. For now, shamar elkins remains at the center of one of the most devastating domestic shooting cases the city has faced in recent memory.
