Eight children killed in Louisiana shooting, police say

Eight children aged between one and 14 have been killed in a shooting in Shreveport, in what police have described as a domestic incident.

Officers said the attack began at about 05:00 local time (10:00 GMT), when a lone gunman opened fire on 10 people before fleeing the scene in a stolen vehicle. Police later pursued the suspect and he was shot dead.

“This affects the entire community,” Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux said. “We all mourn with these families.”

Authorities have not released the identities of the victims or the suspect, but said some of the children were related to the attacker.

Police said there were multiple crime scenes, including two homes on the same block on West 79th Street and another property nearby on Harrison Street.

Shreveport Police Corporal Chris Bordelon said officers responding to a call shortly before 06:00 found the victims at one of the homes.

“All of the deceased in this case are juveniles,” he said, adding that the incident appeared to be domestic in nature. One person who had been shot managed to flee to a nearby residence.

After the attack, the suspect reportedly hijacked a vehicle and attempted to escape before being intercepted by officers in another neighbourhood.

Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said investigators are working with Louisiana State Police and other agencies to establish what happened.

“We are going to be working diligently however long it takes to get some answers,” he said.

Jeff Landry said he and his wife were “heartbroken” and offered prayers for those affected, while Mike Johnson described the incident as a “heartbreaking tragedy”.

According to the Gun Violence Archive, the attack is the deadliest mass shooting in the United States since January 2024.