Shreveport Police Release Timeline of Cedar Grove Tragedy

The Shreveport Police Department, in conjunction with the Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office, has released a comprehensive timeline regarding the mass shooting that occurred in the Cedar Grove neighborhood on the morning of Sunday, April 19, 2026.

The incident, which tragically claimed the lives of eight children, began as a domestic dispute before evolving into a multi-jurisdictional pursuit.

Authorities confirmed that officers were first called to a residence in the 300 block of West 79th Street at 5:55 a.m. Upon arrival and subsequent search of the home, investigators discovered eight victims, ranging in age from 3 to 11 years old.

Identification of the Victims

The Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office has identified the eight children as Jayla Elkins (3), Shayla Elkins (5), Kayla Pugh (6), Layla Pugh (7), Markaydon Pugh (10), Sariahh Snow (11), Khedarrion Snow (6), and Braylon Snow (5). The victims included seven siblings and one cousin.

The Shreveport Police Department expressed its deepest condolences to the families, noting that the scale of the violence has profoundly impacted the community and first responders alike.

Sequence of Events on April 19

According to dispatch logs, the initial caller, Keosha Pugh, alerted police that she had retreated to the roof of the West 79th Street residence to escape a relative who was armed inside. By 5:59 a.m., the suspect was identified as Shamar Elkins.

As officers arrived on the scene at 6:01 a.m., they worked to secure the caller and her surviving children who had fled to the backyard.

READ MORE: How You Can Help the Families Impacted in the Shreveport Mass Shooting 

At 6:07 a.m., a second shooting was reported in the 500 block of Harrison Street. The victim at that location, Christina Snow, reported she had been shot in the face by Elkins. Snow expressed concern that her children were with the suspect, investigators later determined those children were among the victims found at the initial scene on West 79th Street.

Pursuit and Conclusion in Bossier City

Following the shootings, Elkins reportedly committed a carjacking at West 79th Street and Linwood Avenue, fleeing in a red Kia Sportage. Shreveport Police traffic units spotted the vehicle at 6:17 a.m. traveling southbound on Interstate 49, beginning a pursuit that crossed the Red River Bridge into Bossier City.

The pursuit ended in the 400 block of Brompton Lane. At 6:29 a.m., contact was made with the suspect and shots were fired. Elkins was pronounced deceased at the scene at 7:03 a.m.

Following standard protocol for officer-involved shootings, the Shreveport Police Department has requested the Louisiana State Police Investigations Division to conduct an independent investigation into the final encounter.

Preliminary Investigation Findings

Detectives believe the violence originated from a domestic dispute between Shamar Elkins and his wife, Shaneique Elkins, at the West 79th Street home. After allegedly shooting his wife, investigators say Elkins killed the seven children inside. He then pursued Keosha Pugh and her children onto the roof; during this struggle, 10-year-old Markaydon Pugh was fatally shot.

Get our free mobile app

The investigation remains active as local, state, and federal partners work to determine how the suspect obtained the firearm used in the attacks. Authorities have asked the public to keep the grieving families and the impacted community in their thoughts as the legal and investigative processes continue.