Louisiana Gunman Had 'Dark Thoughts' Days Before Deadly Shooting, Family Reveals Mental Health Struggles

The news of a man shooting eight young children dead rocked Louisiana on April 19. The gunman, 31-year-old Shamar Elkins, allegedly murdered seven of his children and their cousin, and seriously injured his wife and a woman believed to be his girlfriend.

Elkins was later neutralized by Shreveport police during a high-stakes pursuit. While the motive behind the crime has yet to be confirmed, the gunman’s family said he was struggling with mental health issues.

The suspect was reportedly going through a divorce from his wife, Shaneiqua Pugh, which took a toll on his mental health. In an interview with NBC News, Elkins’s brother-in-law, Troy Brown, said he had recently sought mental health treatment through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

“He stayed there a week and a half, came home, and was happy,” Brown said. He added that the family is shocked by Elkins’s actions, as he loved his wife and children. “He loved his kids, he loved his wife. I don’t know what happened. You don’t know what a person is going through,” Brown said.

Elkins was eligible for treatment through Veterans Affairs as he served in the Louisiana Army National Guard from 2013 to 2020. He worked as a fire support and signal support system specialist and left the service as a private.

Brown described Elkins’s emotional struggles in another interview with The Washington Post and highlighted how his divorce deeply affected him. “After the first argument about the divorce, he acted like he was losing his mind. He was upset about it. I would talk to him, and he would tell me, ‘Bro, I don’t want to lose my wife,’” Brown said.

Elkins’s mother, Mahelia Elkins, and stepfather, Marcus Jackson, were also aware of his mental health challenges. In a statement to The New York Times, Jackson disclosed the suspect called him on Easter and told him he was having dark thoughts about wanting to end his life.

“I told him, ‘You can beat stuff, man. I don’t care what you’re going through; you can beat it. Then I remember him telling me: ‘Some people don’t come back from their demons,’” Jackson said.

Two weeks after the call, on April 19, Elkins allegedly shot a woman on Harrison Street and later murdered eight children in a home on West 79th Street. According to Shreveport police spokesperson Christopher Bordelon, most of the children were asleep when they were shot in the head.

The victims were identified as 3-year-old Jayla Elkins, 5-year-old Braylon Snow, 5-year-old Shayla Elkins, 6-year-old Khedarrion Snow, 6-year-old Kayla Pugh, 7-year-old Layla Pugh, 10-year-old Markaydon Pugh, and 11-year-old Sariahh Snow.

Following the shootings, Elkins carjacked a vehicle and tried to flee. However, the police chased him down and shot him dead.

Authorities are still investigating the case. Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith spoke about the incident during a press briefing and said even he was stunned by the nature of the crime. “I just don’t know what to say. My heart is just taken aback. I just cannot begin to imagine how such an event can occur,” Smith said.