The gunman from Louisiana, who took the lives of eight children — seven of whom were his own, was a 31-year-old Army veteran and UPS employee. He had shared a photo of himself with one of his daughters just hours before the tragic events on Sunday. He was killed during the chase as he attempted to flee into neighboring Bossier City.
Shamar Elkins carried out this horrific act at three different locations in Shreveport shortly after 6 a.m. Central Time, according to authorities.
The ages of the deceased children ranged from 3 to 11 years old.
Also Read: Shamar Elkins posted concerning message about wife and marriage days before Louisiana shooting
Louisiana shooting victims identified
The Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office identified the children 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 of the victims were siblings, while one was their cousin.
In addition, Elkins shot two women — his wife, with whom he has four children, and the mother of his other three children — both of whom were shot in the head and are currently in critical condition, NY Post reported.
Who is the wife of Louisiana shooting suspect Shamar Elkins?
Shamar Elkins was wed to Shaneiqua Elkins (Shaneiqua Pugh). Shortly after Shamar Elkins was named a suspect in the Louisiana shooting incident, users on social media began searching various platforms to find information about his wife, discovering that Shaneiqua was indeed the person Shamar appeared to be married to. Her social media accounts are filled with snapshots from her life, including one from April 2025, where she shared a photo of herself and Shamar to commemorate their anniversary.
It appears that Shamar and Shaneiqua have been together for an extended period, as evidenced by a post featuring him with his children, which dates back to 2023. On April 10, 2025, she shared a photo announcing her marriage to Shamar on her birthday.
Moreover, on April 10, 2025, the couple celebrated their first anniversary, suggesting that they have been married for two years as of now. Although there is limited information available about her, she has been posting about being alone and leaving for the past two days, as indicated on her Facebook profile.
Similarly, Shamar Elkins has also been sharing posts about spending time with his children and maintaining strength, among other topics, before his involvement in the crime and subsequent shooting by the police.
