A former Army National Guardsman accused of shooting eight young children dead in Louisiana on Sunday morning has been identified as Shamar Elkins, a father to some of the victims.
Elkins, 31, a former member of the Louisiana National Guard, opened fire at a home in Shreveport during a domestic disturbance with his 34-year-old wife Shaneiqua Pugh, former Caddo Parish Constable Patrick Young told the Daily Mail.
The suspect, who was fatally shot by police during a vehicle chase, is accused of killing eight children, with the youngest being just 18 months old, the Shreveport Police Department said.
A total of 10 people were shot, with Pugh and another woman surviving.
Shreveport police told the Daily Mail the pair had an argument at the home they shared with the children before Elkins’ shooting rampage.
One of the women is expected to survive the attack, but the other woman had more serious life-threatening injuries, cops said.
The horrific ordeal unfolded across three different locations. The first was where the children were massacred in a home just a stone’s throw away from a Baptist church.
Elkins then performed a carjacking at that location and led officers on a high-speed chase, traveling a quarter-mile away, police said.
He then drove to the third location. He was shot and killed by police there.
The crime scene was described as ‘rather extensive’ by police spokesman Christopher Bordelon. ‘We do believe him to be the only individual that fired gunshots at these locations here,’ he added.
Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux addressed the shaken community after the shooting.
The mayor added that the incident is ‘maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had in Shreveport.’
‘So, right now we’re going to process the information and it’s in very good hands,’ he continued.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Elkins previously served in the Louisiana Army National Guard from August 2013 to August 2020 as a Signal Support System Specialist and a Fire Support Specialist, an Army official told Fox News Digital.
‘He has no deployment. He left the Army as a private.’
Elkins also has a criminal history.
He was previously arrested in 2019, after cops said he fired several shots near a high school in Shreveport, according to court records obtained by the Daily Mail.
Elkins was charged with illegal use of weapons and dangerous instrumentalities and carrying a firearm or dangerous weapon near a school.
He served 30 days in the parish jail and was placed on supervised release for 18 months.
Speaker Mike Johnson shared his condolences after the ordeal on Sunday morning.
He wrote: ‘Heartbreaking tragedy in Shreveport this morning – 8 children were senselessly killed and multiple others were injured. My team is in touch with local law enforcement as more details emerge.
‘We’re holding the victims, their families and loved ones, and our Shreveport community close in our thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time. And we are grateful to the Shreveport, Bossier, and Louisiana State Police for their swift response.’
Caddo Parish Schools Superintendent Keith Burton called the shooting an ‘unspeakable tragedy.’
He added: ‘We know that eight young lives were taken far too soon. They were children with dreams, hopes and futures that were just beginning to take shape.
‘There are no words that can make sense of a loss like this. As a community, we must wrap around one another in the days ahead.
‘We must take care of our children, support our families and stand beside our educators and first responders who are carrying the weight of this moment.’
Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office sent the following statement: ‘Multiple law enforcement agencies are investigating this tragic situation.
‘We do not yet know all the details, but I am deeply saddened by the senseless loss of life.
‘I’m praying for the victims and their family members in the wake of this devastating violence.’
Shreveport, about five hours outside of New Orleans, is a high crime area known for violence, according to Neighborhood Scout.
One in 82 people are a victim of a violent crime in Shreveport, compared to one in 192 in the state of Louisiana, the report showed.
‘We have a hurting community, we have hurting families, we have hurting police officers, coroners personnel, fire departments, sheriff’s people,’ Arceneaux said.
‘This affects the entire community. So we all mourn with these families.
‘It’s a Sunday morning. I ask all of you who are listening, who might be able to pray at your services this morning, not just for this family, for all the victims.’
