Eight children have been killed in a mass shooting in Louisiana, with authorities identifying the suspected gunman as 31-year-old Shamar Elkins, the father of seven of the victims.
Police in Shreveport said the suspect first shot a woman before going to a nearby home, where seven children were killed inside. An eighth child was found dead on the roof, believed to have been trying to escape. Another child who jumped from the roof survived and was taken to hospital.
The victims, aged between three and 11, included three boys and five girls. Two women were also hospitalised, one with life-threatening injuries.
After the attack, Elkins allegedly hijacked a vehicle at gunpoint before being fatally shot by police following a chase.
Councilman Reverend James Green consoles people outside the scene of the shooting. Pic: AP
Officials described the incident as one of the deadliest mass shootings in the United States in recent years. Tom Arceneaux called it one of the most tragic events the city has faced.
Sam Jenkins said the case highlights the need for stronger and more consistent intervention in domestic violence situations.
Data from the Gun Violence Archive shows more than 100 mass shootings have already occurred in the U.S. this year, with hundreds killed or injured.
At a news conference, Louisiana state senator Sam Jenkins said the shooting underscored the need for more resources to deal with domestic violence.
Pic: The New Orleans Advocate/AP
“If we have someone with a history of domestic violence, let’s make sure that those resources, that intervention is there on a continuous and consistent basis, hopefully to avoid what we’ve seen here today,” he said.
Mr Bordelon said police were familiar with Elkins, who had been arrested in a 2019 firearms case, but officials were not aware of any other domestic violence issues.
Excluding the shooting in Shreveport, the Gun Violence Archive has recorded at least 119 mass shootings in the US so far this year, resulting in 177 deaths, including 79 children, and 458 people injured.
It defines a mass shooting as an incident in which at least four people, not including the attacker, are injured or killed. The US had 407 mass shootings last year.
