Louisiana gunman who killed 8 children masked his troubles before rampage
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By Danielle Paquette
Published on April 21, 2026.
Shreveport, Louisiana, man, Shamar Elkins, killed eight children, most of them his own, ages 3 to 11, in an "execution style" attack that shocked the country. The rampage, which left two women, their mothers, with multiple bullet wounds, was the deadliest mass shooting in America this year. Elkins made no mention of his pending divorce or a court date. The stress leading to his hospitalization three months ago for mental health issues was not apparent to family living with him. The public image of Elkins does not align with what women and children are experiencing behind closed doors, according to Kathryn Spearman, an assistant professor at Penn State. The community in Shreveport is now trying to untangle how someone who'd also posted about taking his kids to church for Easter service could end their lives.
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