A gunman killed eight children in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Sunday, local authorities said. Police identified the youngest victim as 1 and the oldest as 14; two adults were also shot. Officials said the investigation covers three separate locations and characterized the episode as a “domestic disturbance.” Further information about the victims will be released after next of kin are notified.
Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith described the area as “an extensive scene unlike anything most of us have ever seen,” and said investigators were piecing together what happened. Local police representative Chris Bordelon said the dispute began early Sunday morning when a man opened fire and is believed to have acted alone. Bordelon told NBC that some of the children shot were the suspect’s “descendants.”
Authorities said the suspect tried to flee in a stolen car and was shot by police; no officers were injured. State police asked anyone with photos, videos or information related to the incident to share them with Louisiana authorities as the probe continues.
Mayor Tom Arceneaux called the event “a tragic situation — maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had.” Shreveport is Louisiana’s third-largest city, located near the Texas border.