A horrific domestic mass shooting on April 19, 2026, has left the Cedar Grove community in mourning after 31-year-old Shamar Elkins allegedly killed eight children and critically wounded two women.
The victims ranging from ages 3 to 11, included seven of Elkins’ own children and one niece.
The violence began around 5:00 a.m. on Harrison Street before moving to West 79th Street.
Following the massacre, Elkins reportedly carjacked a vehicle leading police on a high-speed chase that ended with him being fatally shot by officers in Bossier City.
Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith visibly shaken stated, “I just don’t know what to say, my heart is just taken aback. I cannot begin to imagine how such an event could occur.”
The crime scene spanned multiple locations including a rooftop where one child was discovered.
Department spokesperson Chris Boredelon described the investigation as “an extensive scene unlike anything most of us have ever seen.”
Mayor Tom Arceneaux called it “maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve had” as the city struggles to process the deadliest mass shooting of the year.
The two wounded women remain in critical condition.
