An unspeakable tragedy unfolded in Shreveport, Pa. on , where a father killed eight people, seven of them his own, and seriously injured two others in a series of attacks that authorities described as a domestic incident.
The assailant, 31-year-old Samar Elkins, reportedly suffered from serious mental health issues and had recently expressed suicidal thoughts. According to his relatives, he was under intense psychological pressure and was facing difficulties in his marriage.
The victims were children between the ages of one and 14. Seven of them were children of the perpetrator himself, while one more was not related to him. According to the police, the children were shot dead in cold blood, in an act that shocked even seasoned police officers.
The attack began early Sunday morning, around 05:00 local time. Elkins first shot a woman in the street and then went to a nearby residence, where he killed the children. In total, he allegedly shot ten people.
Two adult women were seriously injured, including his wife, who, including to the head and abdomen, is in critical condition with life-threatening injuries.
One of the children managed to escape
During the attack, one of the children managed to escape and run to a nearby house, from where he notified the authorities. Another child jumped from the roof of the house to save himself and was taken to the hospital.
The bloody attack unfolded in at least three different parts of the city. After the shootings, A police chase ensued, which ended in a shootout in a neighboring area in Bossier County. There, Elkins was killed. Authorities have not yet determined whether his death was a result of police fire or a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The police spokesman said that “all the dead in the case are minors”, confirming the horror of the incident. The authorities believe that the perpetrator acted alone, while the investigation into the exact causes is ongoing.
Relatives of the perpetrator revealed that a few days before the tragedy, on Easter, Elkins had contacted his mother and stepfather by phone, clearly desperate. During the conversation, he tearfully told them that he wanted to end his life and that he felt “suffocated by dark thoughts.”
His wife wanted a divorce
They reported that he confessed to them that his wife wanted a divorce and that he was finding it difficult to manage the situation. “Some people don’t come back from their demons,” he reportedly said before hanging up.
Elkins was employed by UPS and previously served in the Louisiana National Guard from 2013 to 2020, without deployment overseas. According to accounts, he gave the image of a devoted father, although many noted that he often appeared stressed and nervous.
However, he had a criminal record, with convictions for drink-driving in 2016 and unlawful use of a weapon in 2019. In that incident, he had fired repeatedly at a vehicle, with one of the bullets landing near a school where children were.
Shreveport Mayor Tom Arsenault called the case “perhaps the worst tragedy the city has ever experienced,” stressing that it is an event that has shocked the entire community.
Officials pointed out that a large percentage of crimes in the area are related to domestic violence, with this particular incident dramatically increasing the related statistics.
Louisiana’s governor said he was “devastated” by the horror of the attack, while thanking police and first responders for their quick response.
