Army veteran and former UPS worker Shamar Elkins killed eight children—seven of them his own—and shot two women in an early morning domestic violence attack at two homes in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Sunday, police said.

The child victims ranged in age from 1 to about 11 years old, officials said. Many of them appeared to be shot in the head while they slept, Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Chris Bordelon told NBC News.

The mass shooting was the nation’s deadliest in two years, according to a database maintained by the Associated Press (AP) and USA Today with Northeastern University.

Police said the attacks began before sunrise when 31-year-old Elkins shot a woman at one home before driving to a second location “where this heinous act was carried out.” Seven children were killed inside the second house and one was found dead on the roof after apparently trying to escape. State Representative Tammy Phelps said some children tried to get away through the back door. The two wounded women were in critical condition as of Sunday.

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A family member said Elkins and his wife, Shaneiqua Pugh, who was one of the women shot, had been arguing about a scheduled Monday court appearance about their divorce. Investigators have not said what set off the violence. police spokesperson Bordelon said detectives were confident it was “entirely a domestic incident.”

Elkins died following a police pursuit after carjacking a vehicle at gunpoint. Officials did not immediately state whether Elkins was killed by officers or died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Newsweek contacted Shreveport police via email on Sunday.

Shamar Elkins. | Facebook

The U.S. has recorded more than 140 mass shootings so far in 2026, according to the Gun Violence Archive, continuing a trend in which domestic disputes account for a significant share. National data shows more than 1,600 children and teens are shot and killed each year, with hundreds more injured, often in family or household settings.

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Records, social media posts, and accounts by his relatives and former friends have begun to paint a picture of Elkins’ life.

Shamar Elkins was raised by family friend Betty Walker, his mother told the New York Times. Mahelia Elkins said she had him when she was a teenager and struggling with a crack cocaine addiction. They reconnected more than a decade ago, she said.

His mother texted him last Tuesday to ask about the children, and he replied “everyone is doing OK,” text messages seen by the Times showed. On Thursday, his mother texted: “I love y’all. Give my grandson and my granddaughters a kiss from grandma. Thanks so much.” Her son did not reply.

Elkins served in the Louisiana Army National Guard August 2013 to August 2020 as a signal support system specialist and a fire support specialist, an Army spokesperson said.

A door that appears to be stained with blood and evidence markers is closed outside the scene of a mass shooting, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Shrevepor…Read More | AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

He had at least two prior convictions, records obtained by the Times show. In 2019, Elkins pulled a 9mm handgun from his waistband and fired five shots at a vehicle after the driver allegedly pointed a handgun at him, an officer wrote at the time, adding that one of the bullets was found near a school. In 2016, Elkins was convicted for driving intoxicated.

Officials were not aware of any prior domestic violence issues, police spokesperson Bordelon told reporters on Sunday.

Crystal Brown, a cousin of one of the wounded women, told the AP that Elkins shared four children with his wife and three with another woman who lived nearby. All the children were together at one house, she said. “He murdered his children,” Brown said. “He shot his wife.” Brown described the children as “happy kids, very friendly, very sweet.”

Family members interviewed by the Times said Elkins struggled with mental health issues. His stepfather stepfather, Marcus Jackson, said Elkins had told him during a phone call on Easter Sunday that he was having “dark thoughts.”

Elkins shared a prayer on Facebook earlier this month that began, “Dear God, Today I ask you to help me guard my mind and my emotions.”

On Easter Sunday, April 5, he shared a photo, writing: “Happy Easter had a wonderful time at church for the first time with all my kids what a blessed day.”

A former colleague of Elkins at UPS, Willie Vasher, told the Times the suspect Elkins appeared like a typical devoted father. He often appeared stressed, Vasher said, and had a bald spot on his head from a nervous tic of pulling out his hair. “All day I’ve been asking, ‘What happened,’” Vasher said.

People grieve as they comfort each other outside the scene of a mass shooting, Sunday, April 19, 2026, in Shreveport, La. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

What Happens Next

Louisiana State Police have been asked by Shreveport police to assist with the investigation and are asking anyone with pictures, video or information to come forward.

The Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office said it was not yet releasing the children’s names pending identification. “What began as a domestic dispute has ended in irreversible harm,” the parish’s district attorney’s office said.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and House Speaker Mike Johnson, who is from Shreveport, both issued statements saying they were heartbroken and praised law enforcement. “We’re holding the victims, their families and loved ones, and our Shreveport community close in our thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time,” Johnson said.

Pastor Marty T. Johnson Sr. of nearby St. Gabriel Community Baptist Church, who owns one of the homes where the shootings occurred, said he plans to hold a prayer vigil and help the family bury the children.