April 19 (Reuters) – Eight children, with ages ranging from 1 to 14, were killed in a mass shooting on Sunday in Shreveport, Louisiana, and the suspected gunman was later fatally shot by police during a vehicle chase, local authorities said.
Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Christopher Bordelon said at a news conference that some of the children were related to the suspected gunman. Bordelon said at least 10 people total were shot, but did not provide details on the status of surviving victims.
The shooting occurred just after 6 a.m. on Sunday and is considered a domestic disturbance, Bordelon said.
The suspected gunman hijacked a car after the shooting and died after police fired at the vehicle during a chase, Bordelon said. Louisiana State Police are investigating the officer-involved shooting of this individual, spokesperson Kate Stegall said.
Bordelon said the name of the suspected gunman would be released once the department has notified families of the victims.
“We do know that some of the children inside were his descendants,” Bordelon said.
“This is a tragic situation, maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had,” Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux said.
(Reporting by David Ljunggren and Leah Douglas; Editing by Will Dunham and Sergio Non)
Copyright 2026 Thomson Reuters.