MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Police in Shreveport, Louisiana, say a man shot and killed seven of his own children Sunday morning. The man also killed one other child and critically wounded two adults, including his wife. Authorities called it a domestic dispute and one of the worst shootings in decades in that community. Jeff Ferrell from member station KDAQ is covering the story, and he's with us now to tell us more about it. Jeff, good morning. Thanks for joining us.
JEFF FERRELL, BYLINE: You got it.
This all started about 6 o'clock in the morning when police were called to a shooting that occurred in several places in Shreveport. Now, their police say a suspect shot and killed eight small children, just like you said. The Caddo Parish coroner says they ranged in age from 3 to 11. Later in the day, police said the suspect was the father of seven of those children. The eighth child was a cousin. Police spokesman Christopher Bordelon said seven of the children were killed inside the home and the eighth on the rooftop of a house while he was trying to escape. Two adults, including his wife, were also wounded and are in critical condition. Their identities were not provided.
Now, Police Chief Wayne Smith this is a tragedy that extends far beyond one neighborhood. He really had a hard time, almost speechless. He said his heart goes out to this entire community for the tragic event that has taken place this morning. This is a man who's been around this community for decades. He said, quote, "I just don't know what to say. My heart is just taken aback." And so he was - he just didn't know exactly what to say.
MARTIN: What do we know about the person who was accused of doing this and what the possible motive could have been?
FERRELL: Well, by the afternoon, the suspect was identified as 31-year-old Shamar Elkins. And police spokesperson Bordelon said that he died after a confrontation with police after a pursuit. He had carjacked a vehicle and then fled, crossed the border into a twin city called Bossier City, got into a firefight and was shot and killed. And police say the shooting originated as a domestic dispute, and they're still investigating the exact motive. Now, Sallie Small, the aunt of the mother of some of the children, said her niece - she told me this directly - that she had complained of being in an abusive relationship and had decided to leave the suspect.
SALLIE SMALL: She was scared. She had started being afraid again because he was - had started fighting her.
FERRELL: No additional information about the suspect was available Sunday night.
MARTIN: So tell us more about the reaction in Shreveport. I just imagine the whole community is horrified by this.
FERRELL: Well, just shock and disbelief. They don't know what to think. You know, Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux said yesterday's shooting was perhaps, quote, "the worst tragic situation" that, quote, "we've ever had."
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TOM ARCENEAUX: We'll make a full investigation and try and learn what we can from the circumstances to see what we can do in terms of mental health facilities, in terms of domestic violence prevention to see what we can learn from a terrible circumstance.
FERRELL: Governor Jeff Landry said in a social media post that he and his wife were, quote, "heartbroken over this horrific situation" and commended the first responders. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who represents this district where the shooting took place, also described the event as a heartbreaking tragedy. And on Sunday night, people started posting photos on social media of candles being placed outside of the home where all eight children died. Now, Louisiana State Police are leading the investigation of the fatal shooting involving Elkins and Shreveport police officers after that carjacking and chase into Bossier City.
MARTIN: That's Jeff Ferrell from member station KDAQ in Shreveport, Louisiana. Jeff, thank you so much.
FERRELL: Thank you, Michel. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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