Shreveport Shooting 2026: Man Kills 8 Children Including 7 of His Own

# Shreveport Shooting 2026: Man Kills 8 Children Including 7 of His Own

> **Quick answer:** On April 19, 2026, Shamar Elkins, 31, shot and killed eight children aged 3 to 11 across two homes in Shreveport, Louisiana's Cedar Grove neighborhood. Seven of the eight were his own biological children. Elkins had a prior 2019 weapons conviction, which likely made him a federally prohibited gun owner at the time of the attack. He was fatally shot by police following a carjacking and chase into Bossier City. This is the deadliest mass shooting in the United States since January 2024.

The names of the eight children killed in Shreveport on April 19, 2026, are already being shared across the country: Jayla Elkins, 3. Shayla Elkins, 5. Braylon Snow, 5. Khedarrion Snow, 6. Kayla Pugh, 6. Layla Pugh, 7. Markaydon Pugh, 10. Sariahh Snow, 11. Their ages span barely a decade. Most of them, according to investigators, were shot in their sleep.

> **This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a qualified attorney for legal matters.**

## What Happened in Shreveport on April 19, 2026

The attack unfolded in the early morning hours of Sunday, April 19, 2026, across two homes in Shreveport's Cedar Grove community — one on Harrison Street and another on West 79th Street near Linwood Avenue. Police say the incident was "entirely domestic in nature."