Tragic Incident Involving Army Veteran and Children
The father of an Army veteran who fatally shot his seven children and their cousin disclosed he had been experiencing “dark thoughts” leading up to the tragic event. He allegedly told his stepfather that “some people never come back from the devil,” as reported.
Shamar Elkins, 31, opened fire in Shreveport at approximately 6 a.m. on Sunday following a dispute with his spouse. The attack resulted in the deaths of eight children, consisting of five girls and three boys, aged between 3 and 11. His wife, along with two other women—believed to be her friends—were seriously wounded.
A few weeks prior, on Easter Sunday, Elkins reached out to his mother, Mahalia, and stepfather, Marcus Jackson, expressing his troubling thoughts and indicating a desire to end his life. He also mentioned that his wife, Shanaqua Pugh, was seeking a divorce, according to reports.
Jackson recalled reassuring him, saying, “You can win anything, I don’t care what you’re going through, you can win.” However, Elkins responded with a sentiment that suggested despair, mentioning “some people never come back from evil spirits.”
As for the specifics of their problems, Mahalia Elkins noted that it’s unclear what challenges her son and his wife were experiencing. The couple, who married in 2024 and have four children together, were reportedly in the process of separating and had a court appearance scheduled for Monday.
A family member of one of the injured women stated that the couple had been arguing about their relationship just before the shooting. Elkins was later shot and killed by police during an attempted carjacking.
Elkins had a job at UPS and served in the Louisiana Army National Guard from 2013 to 2020. Co-workers remembered him as a dedicated father, although some noticed he often seemed stressed, even pulling out his hair at times.
Mahalia, who reconnected with her son over a decade ago after he was raised by a family friend, expressed her disbelief. She said that the last time she saw him, during a family dinner the previous weekend, he didn’t show any signs of distress.
Unfortunately, Elkins had a background involving previous convictions, such as drunk driving in 2016 and illegal weapon use in 2019, including an incident where he fired a gun in a confrontation.
Among the victims of the shooting were Jayla Elkins, 3; Sheila Elkins, 5; Kayla Pugh, 6; Layla Pugh, 7; Markedon Pugh, 10; Thalia Snow, 11; and Kedarion Snow, 6. Tragically, seven of the eight victims were his own children, while the eighth was a cousin. Most victims were found shot in the head while asleep, with one child attempting to escape and dying on the roof.
During his rampage, Elkins also shot his wife and two women, the mothers of his children. His wife was shot in the face inside their home, while the other injured woman was shot at a nearby location.
If you or someone you know is affected by the issues raised in this article, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.
Shamar Elkins, the shooter from Louisiana, made unsettling comments about ‘demons’.
Tragic Incident Involving Army Veteran and Children
The father of an Army veteran who fatally shot his seven children and their cousin disclosed he had been experiencing “dark thoughts” leading up to the tragic event. He allegedly told his stepfather that “some people never come back from the devil,” as reported.
Shamar Elkins, 31, opened fire in Shreveport at approximately 6 a.m. on Sunday following a dispute with his spouse. The attack resulted in the deaths of eight children, consisting of five girls and three boys, aged between 3 and 11. His wife, along with two other women—believed to be her friends—were seriously wounded.
A few weeks prior, on Easter Sunday, Elkins reached out to his mother, Mahalia, and stepfather, Marcus Jackson, expressing his troubling thoughts and indicating a desire to end his life. He also mentioned that his wife, Shanaqua Pugh, was seeking a divorce, according to reports.
Jackson recalled reassuring him, saying, “You can win anything, I don’t care what you’re going through, you can win.” However, Elkins responded with a sentiment that suggested despair, mentioning “some people never come back from evil spirits.”
As for the specifics of their problems, Mahalia Elkins noted that it’s unclear what challenges her son and his wife were experiencing. The couple, who married in 2024 and have four children together, were reportedly in the process of separating and had a court appearance scheduled for Monday.
A family member of one of the injured women stated that the couple had been arguing about their relationship just before the shooting. Elkins was later shot and killed by police during an attempted carjacking.
Elkins had a job at UPS and served in the Louisiana Army National Guard from 2013 to 2020. Co-workers remembered him as a dedicated father, although some noticed he often seemed stressed, even pulling out his hair at times.
Mahalia, who reconnected with her son over a decade ago after he was raised by a family friend, expressed her disbelief. She said that the last time she saw him, during a family dinner the previous weekend, he didn’t show any signs of distress.
Unfortunately, Elkins had a background involving previous convictions, such as drunk driving in 2016 and illegal weapon use in 2019, including an incident where he fired a gun in a confrontation.
Among the victims of the shooting were Jayla Elkins, 3; Sheila Elkins, 5; Kayla Pugh, 6; Layla Pugh, 7; Markedon Pugh, 10; Thalia Snow, 11; and Kedarion Snow, 6. Tragically, seven of the eight victims were his own children, while the eighth was a cousin. Most victims were found shot in the head while asleep, with one child attempting to escape and dying on the roof.
During his rampage, Elkins also shot his wife and two women, the mothers of his children. His wife was shot in the face inside their home, while the other injured woman was shot at a nearby location.
If you or someone you know is affected by the issues raised in this article, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.
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