Tragic Incident Involving Army Veteran and Children
Disturbing audio from 911 dispatchers reveals the moment police were informed about a horrific crime involving Army veteran Shamar Elkins, who allegedly killed eight children. One of the two women he shot managed to call for help, adding urgency to the situation.
“A woman with a gunshot wound to the face mentioned that the shooter had left the area,” the dispatcher reported early Sunday morning.
The dispatcher noted that the woman claimed there were nine people living at the location and suggested that Elkins might have shot them all. Police in Shreveport, Louisiana, described the scene as “disturbing and sinister.”
Elkins, 31, reportedly shot eight children—five girls and three boys aged between 3 and 11—and severely injured his wife along with two women believed to be his girlfriends. It appears that seven of the children were with their mothers, while the eighth was a cousin.
According to police, Elkins first attacked one woman at a specific address before moving to a nearby outhouse where he killed the children.
Dispatchers later explained that Elkins was shot and killed after being pursued by police into Bossier City.
“Check for shots fired,” a dispatcher urged.
Shreveport Police spokesman Chris Bordelon indicated that many of the children seemed to have been shot in the head while they slept. Seven were found dead inside the home, while the eighth was discovered on the back roof trying to escape. A 13-year-old child managed to jump from the roof, surviving with broken bones.
The deceased children have been identified as Jayla Elkins, 3; Sheila Elkins, 5; Kayla Pugh, 6; Layla Pugh, 7; Markedon Pugh, 10; Thalia Snow, 11; Kedarion Snow, 6; and Braylon Snow, 5, according to the Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office.
Elkins had reportedly confessed to family members about experiencing “dark thoughts” in the weeks leading up to the incident and was the father of seven of the eight children killed.
Authorities are still investigating the motives behind this appalling act, especially given that Elkins and his wife, Shenika Pugh, were reportedly in the midst of a divorce and had a court appearance scheduled in Shreveport.
The case is currently under investigation by the Louisiana State Police.
