At least eight children were found shot to death early Sunday at a home in Shreveport, Louisiana, after police investigated what they said was a domestic violence call, according to authorities.
The incident happened around 6 a.m. local time in the Cedar Grove neighborhood of south Shreveport, according to Shreveport Police Cpl. The suspect, who he also said was the father of at least some of the dead children, was shot dead after a police chase, Chris Bordelon said.
Police said several other people were also injured in the accident.
Shreveport Police officers stand behind crime scene tape as investigators collect evidence at two nearby homes where the suspect allegedly shot and killed eight children, April 19, 2026.
KTSB
Bordelon said police were investigating a “very large scene with four specific locations” and that officers responded to a home in a south Shreveport neighborhood after a report of a shooting.
“In doing so, we decided that this was an inherently local call,” Bordelon said.
He added that the crime scene consisted of two adjacent residences and a third house nearby.
“We have three crime scenes here in Shreveport. One is horrific in nature and will take several hours to process,” Bordelon said.
Bordelon said seven of the dead children were found in one of the homes, and that the eighth victim was found dead outside the same home and “appeared to have tried to escape from the home through the back on the roof.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Los Angeles, whose district the shooting occurred, said his team was “in contact” with local law enforcement and offered “thoughts and prayers” for the victims and their families.
Police cordoned off a home as part of a domestic violence investigation where a suspect allegedly shot and killed eight children, on April 19, 2026.
KTSB
“A heartbreaking tragedy in Shreveport this morning – eight children were senselessly murdered and several others injured,” Johnson said in a statement. Social media sharing. “We are keeping the victims, their families, loved ones and our Shreveport community close in our thoughts and prayers during this extremely difficult time.”
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry also posted a… statement He said on social media that he and his wife, Sharon, “are saddened by this horrific situation, and we are praying for all those affected.”
“We are extremely grateful to the law enforcement officers and first responders who worked tirelessly at the scene,” Landry said.
Bordelon said that the ages of the children killed ranged from an 18-month-old infant to 14 years old.
Two other shooting victims, both adults, have been found and police suspect they were attacked by the same suspect who killed the children, Bordelon said.
“We know that some of the children inside were his descendants,” Bordelon said.
Bordelon also said that after committing the alleged killings, the suspect, whose name was not immediately released, stole a car in the area.
“Shreveport patrol officers got behind that vehicle and chased it into Bossier “In Parrish, at which time Shreveport officers discharged their firearms and this individual died,” Bordelon said.
Tom Arsenault described the fatal accident as “probably the worst tragic situation we have ever seen in Shreveport.”
Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said his department is using all possible resources to investigate the incident to determine “exactly what happened.”
“I don’t know what to say,” Smith said. “My heart is amazed. I cannot imagine how such an event could happen.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
