8 children, all younger than 15, dead following Louisiana mass shooting: Police
Posted/updated on: April 20, 2026 at 9:03 am
SHREVEPORT (NEXSTAR AP) — Eight children are dead following a shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, authorities have confirmed. The suspect is also dead, after being fatally shot by police, and investigators are now reviewing multiple crime scenes. Police were initially called to a shooting that happened just after 6 a.m. on Sunday, Christopher Bordelon with the Shreveport Police Department said during a morning press conference.
Shreveport Police say eight children, ranging in ages from 1 to 14 years old, were killed, and two other individuals were injured.
The suspect allegedly stole a vehicle after the shooting and was fatally shot by Shreveport Police officers following a pursuit that extended into Bossier Parish. No officers were harmed in the shooting, which is now under investigation by Louisiana State Police.
Some of the children shot were related to the suspect, according to Bordelon. Officials said they were still gathering details about the crime scene, which extended across three residential locations.
“This is an extensive scene unlike anything most of us have ever seen,” Smith added.
Police say they do not yet have a motive but described the incident as a domestic disturbance.
“This is a tragic situation, maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had in Shreveport,” Mayor Tom Arceneaux said during Sunday’s press conference. “It’s a terrible morning in Shreveport, and we all mourn with the victims.”
Louisiana State Police are asking for anyone with pictures, video or information to share it with state police detectives.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said in a statement that he and his wife were heartbroken. “We’re deeply grateful to the law enforcement officers and first responders working tirelessly on the scene,” he added.
This was the deadliest mass shooting in the U.S. since eight people were killed in a Chicago suburb in January 2024, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.
