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Family Of Dad Who Killed 8 Children Speak Out As Devastating Details Emerge
A family member of the man who killed eight children, including seven of his own, has spoken out following the brutal attack.
Shamar Elkins launched an ‘execution style’ killing spree across three different addresses, in the early hours of Sunday, April 19, fatally shooting eight of them.
The 31-year-old Army veteran’s violent assault across Shreveport, Louisiana, began following an argument with his wife, Shaneiqua Pugh, who he shot in the face, but remains in a good condition.
Most of the children were shot in the head while they slept in their beds, however the eighth child was gunned down as he tried to escape via the roof. A second woman, Christina Snow, who is also mother to some of his children was shot, but has survived the attack.
A third woman and a child who jumped to safety from a rooftop were taken to hospital for injuries sustained by the fall, but are said to remain in a good condition.
Following the devastating attack, Elkins carjacked a vehicle and led police on chase to nearby Bossier City. He died after being shot at by police.
Shamar Elkin’s violent past years before attack
Elkins previously served in the Louisiana Army National Guard from 2013 to 2020, where he worked as both a signal support system specialist and a fire support specialist.
By the time he left the armed forces he was at the rank of private and was never deployed overseas. At the time of the attack he was employed by UPS.
Sadly, the tragic events of April 19 were not the first time Elkins has been caught misusing a firearm.
Back in March 2019, the veteran was arrested on charges of illegal use of weapons and carrying a firearm on school property after firing five rounds at a vehicle near a school after another driver pulled a gun on him.
He was placed on probation for 18 months after pleading guilty to the weapons charge, however the firearm charge was later dropped.
According to police, it’s likely that these charges resulted in Elkins being prohibited from legally owning any firearms, however he was found to be in possession of a small calibre handgun and a rifle-style pistol when he was apprehended by authorities following the killings.
Family of killer reveal disturbing new details
A relative of Elkins has now spoken out about the heartbreaking attack, while revealing some disturbing details of Elkin’s mental health in the weeks leading up to the incident.
Crystal Brown-Page said the 31-year-old attended the local Veterans Affairs hospital for a mental health evaluation, staying there for a week and a half before being released, The Washington Post reports.
According to the family member, Elkins’ wife Shaneiqua Pugh had told him she wanted a divorce and the pair were due to appear in court the day after the brutal killings.
Brown-Page said: “I think that triggered something in him,” adding that he had not been violent in the past. “There were no previous signs.”
Meanwhile, Elkins’ mother Mahelia Elkins and his stepfather Marcus Jackson, revealed he had made alarming admissions about his mental health prior to April 19.
He is said to have told his parents he was really suffering with ‘dark thoughts’ and was considering taking his own life.
Jackson told the New York Times: “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.'”
Mahelia said she was completely unaware of the issues her son and his wife were going through, however another family member has confirmed they were in the middle of separating and were due to appear in court the day after the attack.
Brown-Page said the couple had been fighting about their marriage coming to an end when he first launched the attack.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, available 24/7, or visit thehotline.org.
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