Dad suspected of killing eight children in Shreveport, Louisiana, had previous firearms conviction

The owner of a gun which was used to kill eight children told investigators the firearm was stolen from his truck in the weeks before the shooting.

Shamar Elkins, 31, who had convictions for previous gun offences, is suspected of killing his seven children and one other, believed to be a cousin, during the incident in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Sunday.

The owner of the firearm, Charles Ford, has since told investigators he suspected Elkins took the assault-style Mossberg pistol because he was one of the few people to ride with him in his truck, according to a criminal complaint filed in Louisiana federal court.

Ford told officers how he confronted Elkins over the missing firearm, but "let it go" once he became "offensive", a court affidavit revealed.

Ford said it was around March 9 when he noticed the gun was missing. He is now also facing gun charges in connection with the incident.

The shooting is among the deadliest in recent years in the US.

The dead children have been named by their mothers as Jayla Elkins, three, Shayla Elkins, five, Kayla Pugh, six, Layla Pugh, seven, Markaydon Pugh, 10, Sariahh Snow, 11, Khedarrion Snow, six and Braylon Snow, five.

Christina Snow, mother to three of Elkins' children, and his wife, Shaneiqua Pugh, were also both injured in the shooting.

It has also been revealed that Elkins had a previous conviction for illegal use of a firearm in 2019.

Shreveport Police spokesman Christopher Bordelon told reporters that the crime scene was "incredibly gruesome".

Police were called to Shreveport's West 79th Street just after 6am following reports of a domestic disturbance.

Sky News' US news partner NBC News said the gunman first shot a woman in Harrison Street before he headed to the home in West 79th Street, where he killed all the children, police said.

The gunman fled and carjacked a person at gunpoint near the intersection of Linwood Avenue and West 79th Street, police said.

Officers shot and killed the suspect in neighbouring Bossier Parish after a pursuit, they added.

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Meanwhile, a family member of Ms Snow, who is recovering in hospital, told NBC she still has a bullet lodged in her face.

"Doctors say they didn't want to do surgery and risk it," he said.

The incident has rocked Shreveport, a small city of less than 200,000 people.

Mayor Tom Arceneaux described it as "maybe the worst tragic situation we've ever had" in the city.

(c) Sky News 2026: Dad suspected of killing eight children in Shreveport, Louisiana, had previous firearms convi