Shamar Elkins: Gunman Identified in Tragic Shreveport Mass Shooting

The gunman who perpetrated the mass shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, early Sunday morning has been identified as Shamar Elkins, as first reported by the New York Post. The suspect's name was reported on Facebook and X before being officially released by investigators. Elkins was the father of several of the eight children, whom he allegedly shot and killed, while also shooting their mother and another woman. Elkins then allegedly stole a car and fled, and was killed by Shreveport Police after a pursuit ending in Bossier City.

Elkins posted pictures of himself with the children on Facebook as recently as April 17th, when he shared a picture of himself and one of his daughters. Elkins had just taken the girl out for an outing, sharing a picture of her happily eating a cheeseburger.

"Took my oldest on a lil 1 on 1 date had to catch her down bad," Elkins said in the Facebook post.

Elkins' Facebook also shows a photo of him and the children dressed up for Easter Sunday. In the caption, he says that he "had a wonderful time at church" with all his kids in attendance for the first time. In March of this year, Elkins shared a Facebook post asking dads a hypothetical question.

"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 post read.

When Elkins shared the post, he added, "Hell yehhh I would," indicating that he had a strained relationship with Shaneiqua Elkins, whom he has four children with. The two are listed as married on Shaneiqua's Facebook account, along with pictures of Shamar dating back to 2016, including one of Shamar in a military uniform.

The shooting marks a tragic day for Shreveport and the state of Louisiana, with local politicians making statements regarding the shooting. Mayor Tom Arcenaux called it "maybe the worst tragic situation we've ever seen in Shreveport." Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, who is a Shreveport native and represents the district in Congress also addressed the shooting in a post on Facebook.

"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," said Johnson. "And we are grateful to the Shreveport, Bossier, and Louisiana State Police for their swift response."

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Apr 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published April 19, 2026 at 2:05 PM.