Shamar Elkins took daughter on burger date hours before killing 8 children in Shreveport massacre

SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA: A quiet Saturday evening snapshot is now sitting at the center of a disturbing timeline.

Shamar Elkins, the 31-year-old former US Army soldier identified as the suspect in Sunday’s mass shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, had spent just hours earlier posting cheerful moments with his children. The family is now at the heart of one of the deadliest tragedies in recent memory.

Authorities say Elkins shot eight children dead and injured two women (one critically) before being killed by police after a brief chase. The motive remains unclear as investigators continue to piece together what led to the bloodshed.

Chilling final post before the shooting

In hindsight, the posts read like an eerie foreshadowing.

On Saturday evening, Elkins shared happy photos from a burger outing with his eldest daughter. “Lol!!!! Took my oldest on a lil 1 on 1 date, had to catch her down bad ugh ugh,” he captioned the image.

That post has drawn a lot of attention as people struggle to reconcile the tone with what followed just hours later.

Other social media activity paints a similar picture. According to reports, Elkins had recently shared a family photo featuring his seven children during an Easter outing. “Happy Easter, had a wonderful time at church for the first time with all my kids, what a blessed day," he wrote.

Meanwhile, there were also hints of inner turmoil. In an April 9 post, Elkins appeared to allude to emotional distress. “Dear God, Today I ask You to help me guard my mind and my emotions," he wrote.

These posts have sparked speculation about his mental state in the days leading up to the attack.

Eight children killed in early morning rampage

The violence unfolded just before 6 am Sunday at a residence in the 300 block of West 79th Street near Linwood Avenue.

According to authorities, three boys and five girls between the ages of 3 and 11 were shot and killed. Some of the victims were identified as Elkins’ own descendants, though police have not clarified the exact relationships. Two women (also believed to be related) were shot in the head, with one left in critical condition.

The coroner’s office identified the victims as Jayla Elkins, 3; Shayla Elkins, 5; Kayla Pugh, 6; Layla Pugh, 7; Markaydon Pugh, 10; Sariahh Snow, 11; Khedarrion Snow, 6; and Braylon Snow, 5.

Shreveport Police have stated that Elkins was responsible. After the shootings, Elkins fled the scene by carjacking a vehicle as deputies gave chase.

Authorities tracked his movements across multiple streets, first to Harrison Street between Wallace Avenue and Bernstein Avenue, and later to Brompton Lane near Long Acre Drive.

It was there that the pursuit came to an end. Officers shot and killed Elkins, according to the Shreveport Police Department.

Investigators have yet to determine what triggered the attack. The case remains under active investigation.

The scale of the violence has placed the tragedy among the deadliest mass shootings in the United States since January 2024, when a gunman killed eight people in a Chicago suburb.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot independently verify them and does not endorse claims or opinions made online.