Eight children killed in Shreveport mass shooting as gunman targets multiple domestic sites

A gunman killed eight children in a domestic-related mass shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, before being fatally shot by police after a carjacking and chase.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 19, 2026, 2:49 PM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from The Times of Israel

Coordinated Violence Spans Multiple Residential Scenes

The city of Shreveport was plunged into mourning early Sunday morning following an "extensive" mass shooting that claimed the lives of eight children. According to Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Christopher Bordelon, officers responded to a domestic disturbance call at approximately 6:00 a.m. in the 300 block of West 79th Street. Upon arrival, investigators discovered a complex crime scene spanning four distinct locations: two homes on West 79th Street, a third residence on nearby Harrison Street, and a fourth scene in Bossier City where the suspect was ultimately neutralized. Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith described the incident as a domestic-related rampage unlike anything the department has encountered in recent history.

Gunman Targets Descendants in Domestic Rampage

Preliminary reports indicate that the violence was targeted and internal to the suspect's family. Christopher Bordelon confirmed to NBC that "some of the slain children were his descendants," although the specific relationship between the gunman and all ten shooting victims has not been fully disclosed. In addition to the eight children killed, two other individuals were shot and transported to local medical facilities; their current conditions remain unknown. The ages of the deceased children, ranging from 1 to 14 years old, have left the local community and emergency responders in a state of shock, with Mayor Tom Arceneaux calling the event "the worst tragic situation we've ever had."

High-Speed Pursuit Ends in Suspect Fatality

Following the shootings, the individual believed to be the sole gunman carjacked a vehicle near the primary crime scene at West 79th and Lynnwood. Shreveport patrol officers initiated a pursuit that crossed city lines into Bossier City. The chase concluded when officers opened fire on the hijacked vehicle, killing the suspect. Louisiana State Police have been requested to lead the investigation into the officer-involved shooting component of the pursuit. Authorities have confirmed that no law enforcement officers were harmed during the exchange, and they believe no other suspects are at large.