Shamar and Shaneiqua Elkins | Source: Facebook/shaneiqua.elkins
Authorities are piecing together the final moments before a deadly Shreveport shooting. New details highlight Shamar Elkins’ last interaction with his estranged wife as the investigation unfolds.
Something unfolded in the final moments between Shamar Elkins and his estranged wife — details investigators say could help explain the violence that followed. What happened next is now under scrutiny.
Shamar is at the center of a deadly shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, on April 19, 2026, that left multiple victims, including eight children. Authorities say the incidents occurred at more than one location.
People embrace outside a home on April 20, 2026, a day after the deadly shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana | Source: Getty Images
According to CBC News, Shamar Elkins and his wife, Shaneiqua Elkins, were in the process of separating and were due in court on Monday. The report cited Crystal Brown, a relative of one of the victims, who said tensions had been escalating.
Crystal said the couple had been arguing about the separation, one of their final known interactions before the tragedy. She also alleged that Shamar shot his wife and children.
A woman is comforted while grieving the loss of family members after the shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana. | Source: Getty Images
The relative also told CBC that Shamar shared children with his wife and another woman who lived nearby. All the children were reportedly at one home when the violence began.
She described the kids as “happy, very friendly, very sweet.” As the scene unfolded, witness accounts began to fill in the moments after the shooting.
Neighbor Liza Demming reportedly said her security camera captured the suspect running from the scene after gunshots were heard. She later saw the covered body of a child outside the home.
As investigators piece together the timeline, a clearer picture of the days leading up to the violence is beginning to emerge.
People pay tribute outside a home following the deadly shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana | Source: Getty Images
Days before the shooting, Shaneiqua shared a Facebook post suggesting emotional distance and the breakdown of their relationship, indicating that her feelings had changed and the connection between them had faded over time.
The message points to a relationship in decline, a stark contrast to what she had shared not long before.
Roughly a year earlier, she posted a warm anniversary tribute to Shamar on the same platform, thanking him and celebrating their years together and their children. The post, filled with affection, painted a very different picture of the couple’s relationship.
The timing has drawn attention, as the violence unfolded just days after what would have marked their second anniversary.
As more details surface, the focus has also turned to those who survived.
According to KSLA News 12, two women were shot during the incident, including Shamar’s wife. She was reportedly shot in the face, underwent surgery, and is expected to survive.
The second woman, who may also be the mother of some of the children, remains in very serious condition, the station reported.
Authorities have also outlined a detailed timeline of how the shooting unfolded.
According to CNN, the first emergency call came in just before 6 a.m. from a person on the roof of a home on West 79th Street, who reported that a suspect inside had shot someone, Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said.
Minutes later, a second call indicated the suspect was a family member and that multiple people inside the home had been shot. The caller told dispatch she and her children had escaped onto the roof and fled to the backyard, Smith said.
Bullet holes are visible in the door of a home following the deadly shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana | Source: Getty Images
Police arrived at 6:01 a.m., Chief Wayne said. Shortly after, a third call came in from Harrison Street, where a woman reported her boyfriend had shot her, taken her three children, and fled, identifying the suspect as Shamar.
Around 6:15 a.m., authorities said Shamar carjacked a vehicle and led officers on a chase into neighboring Bossier Parish. He was armed with a rifle during the incident, according to Shreveport Police Corporal Chris Bordelon.
Police officer Chris Bordelon speaks to the media near the scene of a shooting that left eight children dead in Shreveport, Louisiana, on April 19, 2026 | Source: Getty Images
At 6:29 a.m., officers shot Shamar; he was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 7 a.m., Chief Wayne said.
Police, responding across at least three scenes, are continuing to piece together what led up to the shootings.
Family members gather outside a Shreveport home following a deadly shooting, April 19, 2026 | Source: Getty Images
As we previously reported, Shamar shot 10 people in total, killing eight children and wounding two women. Seven of the children were found inside the residence, while an eighth was discovered on a back roof.
The children were later identified 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, according to the New York Post.
In addition to Shaneiqua and another woman believed to be Shamar’s girlfriend being shot, a teenager was reportedly injured after falling from the roof, though not by gunfire.
Authorities have since pointed to the nature of the incident.
“We know it’s domestic in nature, we know his wife is involved, and she is the mother of at least seven of the children, with the eighth being a family friend,” said Police Corporal Christopher.
Authorities said a small-caliber handgun was used in part of the shooting. When officers confronted Shamar, he was armed with a rifle-style pistol.
Investigators also said many of the children appeared to have been shot while asleep, with most sustaining gunshot wounds to the head. Attention has also turned to the family’s life on social media before the incident.
Community members embrace while mourning victims of a Shreveport shooting, April 19, 2026 | Source: Getty Images
As previously reported, Shamar remained active on Facebook, often sharing moments from his daily life centered on his children. His profile, however, listed little personal information beyond his gender.
Just days before the incident, he posted a photo of his eldest child sitting in the front seat of a vehicle and eating a burger during what he described as a one-on-one outing.
Back on April 6, he shared a photo of himself standing outside a home with several children, dressed for Easter, and gathered closely together.
Earlier posts took on a more introspective tone.
In one post dated April 9, he shared a lengthy prayer centered on strength, peace, and protection. In another post from March 12, he shared a short message that read, “Understand to be misunderstood.”
On February 13, he shared a photo showing several children sitting on the floor inside a home, gathered closely around large open trays of food as they ate together during a casual group meal.
Like Shamar, Shaneiqua also maintained an active presence on the same platform.
Her profile listed her as living in Shreveport, Louisiana, noted that the couple had been married since April 9, 2024, and indicated she attended Independence University.
The page also featured a mix of personal details and reposted content, including a pinned message about her focus on prayer and faith, along with more recent posts referencing her zodiac sign, Aries, and shared videos.
Together, the posts offered a glimpse into their daily lives in the days leading up to the incident, before events took a far different turn.
As reported by KSLA 12 News, a nearby resident described the moment the violence unfolded, recalling confusion and shock as the situation escalated.
“My thought process was like, man, there’s no way that that just happened behind our house. You know, it was, I was just in total shock. I was just like, oh my God, dude. Like, it was just chaos. I mean, honestly like, it was just nothing like I’ve ever experienced,” Jacob Castleman said.
Community members gather outside a home following a shooting that left eight children dead in Shreveport on April 19, 2026 | Source: Getty Images
Jacob said he woke up to his wife telling him she heard sirens and possibly a gunshot.
“And then I set up and we heard another gunshot. And I was like, all right, that’s pretty close. So as I got up, we heard several more fires. And then I went and grabbed my firearm and checked out the back because that’s where I thought everything was coming from,” he said.
People light candles at a vigil in Shreveport, Louisiana | Source: Getty Images
As investigators continue working to determine a motive, they are looking into the couple’s separation and reported arguments in the days before the shooting. The timeline and witness accounts are helping piece together what happened.
For the Shreveport community, the impact is clear. Families are grieving, and many are still waiting for answers.