Photo: Getty Images
UPDATE:
Shamar Elkins was confirmed to be the father of seven and uncle to one of the eight children he killed during a massacre in Louisiana early Sunday (April 19), according to a news release obtained by FOX 8 Live. Five girls and three boys ranging in ages 3 to 11 years old were identified by their mothers, according to coroners.
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The gunman who murdered eight children during a mass shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, before being killed by officers was identified as an Army veteran who posted a photo of himself with one of his daughters hours before the incident.
Shamar Elkins, 31, was reported to be responsible for the incidents at three different addresses resulting in the deaths of children between the ages of 1 and 14 Sunday (April 19) morning. Elkins is also reported to have shot two women in the head, including one reported to be suffering life-threatening injuries.
The Army veteran was then chased by local police, at which point he was fatally shot and is suspected to have acted alone.
“We do believe him to be the only individual that fired gunshots at these locations here,” said police spokesperson Christopher Bordelon via NBC News.
Police confirmed that some of the children "were his descendants." The incident took place hours after Elkins shared a photo of himself and his eldest daughter on his Facebook account Saturday (April 18) and two weeks after posing with seven children after taking them to church for Easter service.
The Army veteran also hinted at mental-health struggles in another past Facebook post in which he called for God to "guard" his mind on April 9. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.