Eight Children Killed in Shreveport Domestic Shooting; City Says Deadliest Mass Shooting in Its History
Eight children aged 3 to 11 were shot and killed early Sunday in Shreveport, Louisiana's Cedar Grove neighborhood in what the city's mayor called a domestic-violence tragedy. Suspected gunman Shamar Elkins, 31, was killed by police after a vehicle chase; two women were wounded. Mayor Tom Arceneaux has called it the worst tragedy in Shreveport's history.
Eight children were shot and killed in the early hours of Sunday, April 19, 2026, in the Cedar Grove neighborhood of Shreveport, Louisiana, in a domestic-violence attack that spanned two homes, according to the City of Shreveport's official news release from Mayor Tom Arceneaux's office. The Caddo Parish Coroner's Office identified the children by name. The suspected gunman, Shamar Elkins, 31, was killed by police after a vehicle chase into neighboring Bossier City. Two women were wounded.
What the city is saying
Mayor Arceneaux's office issued a signed statement the same day the shooting occurred. The release opens with a line from John Donne ("No man is an island...") and then pivots to the weight of the incident on the city:
"Today, our community is grieving the unimaginable loss of innocent children. There are no words that can make sense of it, and no distance that shields us from it."
"This tragedy reaches far beyond the scene itself. It affects the first responders who answered the call, the neighbors who witnessed the aftermath, the families who are now living a nightmare, and a community that feels shaken to its core."
The release also directs readers to the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office Domestic Abuse contact Jackie Winston (318-560-2383), Project Celebration Inc. (318-226-5015, 24/7), the Local Sexual Assault Hotline (888-995-7273), and the Local Domestic Violence Hotline (888-411-1333).
Speaking separately, Arceneaux called the shooting "maybe the worst tragic situation we've ever had in Shreveport."
The victims
The Caddo Parish Coroner's Office — led by Dr. Todd Thoma — identified the eight children, who ranged in age from 3 to 11. Their mothers confirmed the identifications.
| Name | Age |
|---|---|
| Jayla Elkins | 3 |
| Shayla Elkins | 5 |
| Kayla Pugh | 6 |
| Layla Pugh | 7 |
| Markaydon Pugh | 10 |
| Sariahh Snow | 11 |
| Khedarrion Snow | 6 |
| Braylon Snow | 5 |
Seven of the children were Elkins's; one was a cousin. Three boys, five girls.
Timeline
At a Monday news conference at Shreveport's Government Plaza, Police Chief Wayne Smith walked reporters through the morning's events:
- Just before 6:00 a.m. Sunday, Shreveport Police received a 911 call from someone on the roof of a house on West 79th Street in Cedar Grove, reporting that a suspect inside had just shot someone.
- A few minutes later, a second call identified the suspect as a family member of the caller. Dispatch was told nine people lived at the home.
- Officers responded to two residences in the 300 block of West 79th Street.
- Elkins fled the scene. A carjacking followed.
- Louisiana State Police and local officers pursued Elkins from Shreveport into Bossier City. Gunfire was exchanged. Elkins was killed.
- Two women and a teenager were wounded; the children had already been shot.
Context
The Shreveport shooting is the deadliest U.S. mass shooting of 2026 to date and the deadliest in the country since January 2024, per local and national reporting. Governor Jeff Landry and Mayor Arceneaux held a joint 5:00 p.m. address to the city on Monday; the city council held a separate 11:00 a.m. news conference the same day.
Officials have asked anyone affected by domestic violence to use the resources listed in the mayor's release. The investigation into how Elkins — who had a prior criminal history — obtained the firearm used in the attack remains open.