Louisiana Family Tragedy Leaves One Child as Sole Survivor After a Daring Escape

On Sunday morning in Shreveport, Louisiana, a frantic emergency call led police to a rental home where the unthinkable had already happened — and where one child, against all odds, had managed to get out alive.

Eight children were dead by the time officers arrived on April 19, 2026. Two women had been shot and wounded. And somewhere in the chaos of that early morning, a single child had done something desperate enough to survive — while seven siblings and a cousin did not.

What police found when they stepped inside that home, how the lone surviving child escaped, and what was driving the man behind it all would take hours to piece together, and the full picture is only now coming into focus.

The First Calls for Help

The first emergency call came in at 5:55 a.m. CDT. The caller reported being "on top of the house" while the suspect remained inside. Within minutes, she reported that she and her children had fled from the roof and were now in the backyard.

Police Chief Wayne Smith, recounting the chain of events on Monday, said the situation escalated fast. A second emergency call came in shortly after. A woman reported that her boyfriend had shot her, taken her three children, and fled the scene.

Then came a report of a carjacking, and information suggesting the children taken from the second home might be inside that vehicle. At approximately 6:29 a.m., officers located the suspect and exchanged gunfire with him. He was found dead at the scene. The children were not in the car.

Eight Lives Lost

The Caddo Parish coroner's office confirmed eight children were killed — three boys and five girls, ranging in age from 3 to 11.

Their mothers identified them 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.

Seven were the suspect's own children. The eighth was a cousin.

Authorities identified the suspect as 31-year-old Shamar Elkins, the children's father and an Army veteran. He had used an assault-style weapon to execute a crime so gruesome that the community is still reeling.

What Officers Found Inside

When Shreveport officers stepped into that rental home, nothing could have prepared them for what was inside.

Shreveport Corporal Christopher Bordelon described the scene in stark terms: "There's blood and bodies everywhere. Some were shot in the bed, some were shot trying to get away."

Eight children were found dead in and around the home. Some had not even made it out of their beds. As for what Shamar intended, Bordelon was direct:

"I think he just had it in his mind he was going to kill everybody in the house. I don't think there was much thought processes to order. I don't know that he necessarily had a plan other than just to kill everybody."

How One Child Made It Out

Of all the children inside that home, only one survived, and the way they escaped is as harrowing as the tragedy itself.

A 13-year-old boy, whose relationship to Shamar has not been confirmed, jumped from the roof of the home in a desperate bid to get away. He broke his leg on impact. It was enough to save his life.

He was taken to the hospital and survived — the only child to do so. The woman who had earlier called 911 from the rooftop and a child who escaped with her were also listed in stable condition. Everyone else was not as fortunate.

What Led to the Carnage?

The question of why a father would do this to his own children is one investigators are still working to answer. But those closest to Shamar say the warning signs were there, and that they had tried to reach him.

On Easter Sunday, just weeks before the massacre, Shamar called his mother, Mahelia Elkins, and his stepfather, Marcus Jackson, in Oklahoma City. His children could be heard playing in the background.

According to the New York Times, he told them through tears that he wanted to take his own life, that he was drowning in dark thoughts, and that his wife, Shaneiqua Pugh, wanted a divorce.

Marcus urged him to push through it. "I told him, 'You can beat stuff, man. I don't care what you're going through, you can beat it,'" he said. Shamar's response stayed with him: "Some people don't come back from their demons."

Shamar hung up after promising to pass a greeting to his children. Records show he and Shaneiqua had been married since April 2024.

The Army confirmed he served in the Louisiana Army National Guard from August 2013 to August 2020, leaving as a private with no overseas deployment. He had been working for UPS.

Police said they were aware of reports that Shamar had been going through a divorce and was due in court the very next day — Monday, April 20.

A Community Confronting the Unthinkable

Caddo Parish Sheriff Henry Whitehorn pointed to a painful irony: a new domestic violence center had opened in Shreveport just 10 days before the massacre.

Several officials who attended that opening were standing at the same press conference where they announced the deaths of eight children.

"I don't believe that any of us could have imagined that only days later our community would be shaken by the most heartbreaking tragedy we have ever witnessed," Whitehorn said.

What We Reported Earlier

In our earlier coverage, we shared initial details about the timeline, the victims, and the community’s reaction as information was still unfolding. At the time, several aspects were unclear.

As we had reported, a shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, on April 19, 2026, left eight children dead and two others injured — an incident authorities said involved someone within the home.

Authorities then began outlining what happened, as someone in the neighborhood described the sudden chaos.

A Timeline of Violence Emerges

Police in Shreveport responded to reports of a shooting involving multiple victims. Investigators said the gunman shot 10 people in total, killing eight children and wounding two women.

Authorities identified the suspect as Shamar Elkins, the children’s father. Seven of the children were found inside the residence, while an eighth was discovered on the back roof.

Additionally, two women were wounded in the shooting, including Shamar's wife, Shaneiqua Elkins, who was shot in the face and survived, and another woman believed to be his girlfriend.

A teenager was also reportedly injured after falling from the roof, but did not suffer gunshot wounds. As investigators continued examining the case, officials said the motive remains unclear.

"We know it's domestic in nature, we know his wife is involved, and she is the mother of at least seven of the children, with the eighth being a family friend," said Christopher Bordelon, a spokesperson for the Shreveport Police Department.

Authorities said a small-caliber handgun was used in part of the violence, and Shamar was armed with a rifle-style pistol when officers confronted him.

Officers later confronted Shamar and fatally shot him, bringing the immediate threat to an end.

Authorities also reported that many of the children appeared to have been shot while asleep, most sustaining gunshot wounds to the head.

As more details emerged, attention turned to what Shamar's life looked like in the days leading up to the shooting.

A Glimpse Into Their Facebook Activity

Before the shooting, Shamar remained active on Facebook, sharing moments from his daily life that often centered on his children, though his profile listed little personal information beyond his gender.

Just days before the incident, he posted a photo of his eldest child sitting in the front seat of a vehicle and eating a burger during what he described as a one-on-one outing.

Back on April 6, he shared a photo of himself standing outside a home with several children, dressed for Easter, and gathered closely together.

Earlier posts took on a more introspective tone.

In one post dated April 9, he shared a lengthy prayer centered on strength, peace, and protection. In another post from March 12, he shared a short message that read, "Understand to be misunderstood."

On February 13, he shared a photo showing several children sitting on the floor inside a home, gathered closely around large open trays of food as they ate together during a casual group meal.

Like Shamar, Shaneiqua also maintained an active presence on the same platform.

Her profile listed her as living in Shreveport, Louisiana, indicated that the couple had been married since April 9, 2024, and showed that she attended Independence University.

Her page included a mix of personal details and reposted content, including a pinned post emphasizing her focus on prayer and faith.

More recent activity included reposted content, such as a message referencing her zodiac sign, Aries, as well as shared videos. Her profile reflected regular engagement through short captions and reposts rather than lengthy personal updates.

Their posts offered a window into their lives in the days leading up to the incident, but for those nearby, the events took a far different turn.

Neighbor Recalls Chaos

As reported by KSLA 12 News, a nearby resident described the moment the violence unfolded, recalling confusion and shock as the situation escalated.

"My thought process was like, man, there's no way that that just happened behind our house. You know, it was, I was just in total shock. I was just like, oh my God, dude. Like, it was just chaos. I mean, honestly like, it was just nothing like I’ve ever experienced," Jacob Castleman said.

Jacob said he woke up to his wife telling him she heard sirens and possibly a gunshot.

"And then I set up and we heard another gunshot. And I was like, all right, that's pretty close. So as I got up, we heard several more fires. And then I went and grabbed my firearm and checked out the back because that's where I thought everything was coming from," he said.

Authorities have not yet determined what led up to the shooting, as they continue working to establish a clearer sequence of events.

In the aftermath, the loss of eight young lives has left a lasting impact on the community, with many still searching for answers in the wake of the tragedy.