'1 on 1 date with daughter, depression, troubled marriage': 5 things about Louisiana shooting suspect Shamar Elkins
A shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, left eight children dead and others injured. Suspect Shamar Elkins allegedly fled after the attack and was later killed following a police chase. Authorities are investigating motives, including possible personal ties to the victims.
Louisiana shooting suspect identified as Shamar Elkins
The suspect behind the deadly Shreveport shooting that left eight children dead has been identified as Shamar Elkins. 31-year-old Elkins allegedly carjacked a vehicle and fled after killing eight children, prompting officers to chase him into Bossier Parish. The chase stretched across multiple locations and ultimately resulted in police killing the suspect. However, it was not clear if the assailant died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound or from police fire. No officers were injured in the incident. His Facebook posts and past police records hints at plenty of things: from marriage troubles to mental health struggles. Here's what we know:
What was suspect's last Facebook post?
The Daily Mail published photos from Shamar Elkins' Facebook profile. The suspect could be seen posing with his children. In his last Facebook post, he shared a photo of himself visiting a burger joint with his eldest daughter. “Lol!!!! Took my oldest on a lil 1 on 1 date had to catch her down bad ugh ugh,” he captioned the photo. Last week, he also posted a photo with his seven children, saying in the caption that the photo was from just after his visit to the church for Easter with the children.
Did the suspect face mental health issues?
The New York Post reported that Shamar Elkins may have been suffering from mental health struggles by sharing a recent Facebook post in which he addressed as a prayer. “Dear God, Today I ask You to help me guard my mind and my emotions,” the post from April 9 read. "When negativity arises, remind me to say, ‘It does not belong to me, in the name of Jesus. When depression tries to settle in, when anger rises, when anxiety or panic comes, give me the awareness to recognize what is not from You and the strength to reject it immediately in the name of JESUS," he added. The authorities in Shreveport have not confirmed if Elkins was struggling with his mental health.
Who are the victims and were they his 'descendants'?
Authorities said that Elkins may have had personal ties to some of the victims. Police spokesperson Christopher Bordelon said, "We do believe him to be the only individual that fired gunshots at these locations here and some of the children were his descendants." As many as 10 were shot at a home in the 300 block of West 79th Street near Linwood Avenue. Eight died while two are severely injured. Two adult women survived, though one reportedly suffered life-threatening injuries after being shot in the head. The children killed were from 18 months to 14 years old.
Did the suspect face marriage troubles?
Did the suspect face marriage troubles?
In one of his recent FB post, the suspect hinted at marriage troubles. He wrote: “Dads, if you could go back in time and have kids with a different woman but still have the same kids, would you do it?” The details of the trouble, if any, remains unclear. On March 12 he wrote: “Understand to be misunderstood.”
Did the suspect face prior arrest?
According to Shreveport Police Department narrative dated March 18, 2019, Elkins was arrested in a weapons-related case, East Texas Banner respoted. According to the report, he fired multiple shots near Caddo Magnet School while children were present outside the campus. Officers reportedly recovered shell casings and a firearm, and Elkins was taken into custody.
)
)
)
)
)