Authorities in Louisiana have identified the eight children killed in Sunday’s domestic violence shooting in Shreveport, a tragedy that has shaken the city and drawn national attention. Police say the children were killed early on April 19 in what they described as a domestic related attack.
The Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office released the names of the children 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. The Associated Press reported that seven of the children were the suspect’s own children and the eighth was a cousin.
What police say happened
Shreveport police identified the suspect as 31 year old Shamar Elkins. Authorities say he also wounded two women before fleeing and later dying after a police pursuit that ended in neighboring Bossier Parish.
Police have said the shootings appear to have grown out of a domestic dispute. AP reported that family members told investigators Elkins and his wife were in the middle of a separation and had a court date scheduled for Monday, April 20.
A city facing one of its darkest days
This is now being described as the deadliest mass shooting in the United States in more than two years. The scale of the loss has left Shreveport leaders, neighbors, and relatives struggling to process what happened inside a family setting that turned deadly.
AP reported that community members had already begun gathering for prayer vigils and support efforts as the investigation continues. Local officials have urged the public to give the affected families privacy while also recognizing the deeper warning signs around domestic violence.
The broader issue behind the tragedy
Authorities have repeatedly framed the case as a domestic violence incident, not a random public attack. That matters because experts have long warned that domestic violence can quickly turn deadly, especially when guns are involved. This sentence is an inference based on how police and wire reports have characterized the case.
Readers looking for official updates can follow reporting from the Associated Press and local information from the Shreveport coverage carried by KSLA.
What comes next
Investigators are still working through the crime scenes and formal identification process, and officials have not yet released a full timeline of every location involved. What is already clear is that eight children are gone, two women remain hospitalized, and a grieving city is left asking how such a devastating domestic violence case could unfold.
For now, the names released by the coroner’s office have become the center of the story. In a case first marked by chaos and horror, they now stand as the clearest reminder of who was lost.
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