Police said a gunman shot dead seven of his own children and another child early on Sunday morning in Shreveport in Louisiana. The victims were aged from about one and 14-years.
The suspect, identified by police as Shamar Elkins, was later killed by officers after a car chase. Authorities said he had carjacked a vehicle at gunpoint before officers opened fire.
Shreveport Mayor, Tom Arceneaux said "The assailant came over to this area and shot the children, wounded the woman. And then one of the children escaped by jumping off the roof and I think broke her leg in the process. So we really don't know. He then hijacked a vehicle and took off. But the police gave chase, then he fired on the police and then he ended up being deceased."
Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Christopher Bordelon told TV station KTBS that one crime scene was "incredibly gruesome."
The shootings took place across two nearby homes. Investigators believe the gunman first shot a woman before going to another house where the children were killed.
The suspect and one woman who was shot were the parents of seven of the children, Bordelon told TV station KSLA. One woman sustained life-threatening injuries, and multiple families were affected, he told KSLA. The shooting started after 6 a.m. (1100 GMT) on Sunday, he told reporters.
Police say the motive is still unclear, though they believe the attack was entirely domestic in nature.
“This is an extensive scene, unlike anything most of us have ever seen,” a police spokesperson said.
Local officials have spoken of their devastation. Mayor Tom Arceneaux called it “maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had”. Mike Johnson, a Shreveport resident, described the incident as a “heartbreaking tragedy”, while Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry said he was praying for those affected.
The attack has renewed calls for stronger support systems to tackle domestic violence. State Senator Sam Jenkins said more consistent intervention could help prevent such tragedies.
Not including Sunday's incident in Shreveport, the Gun Violence Archive lists at least 119 mass shootings in the United States this year, resulting in 117 deaths, including 79 children, and 458 people injured.
Last year, the United States had 407 mass shootings, according to archive data.
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