Local authorities said that eight children, aged from one to fourteen years old, were killed this Sunday in a shooting in the city of Shreveport, Louisiana, United States. They noted that the suspect was later shot dead by police during a car chase.
This is the latest shooting to occur in the United States. At a press conference, Christopher Bordelon, spokesperson for Shreveport Police, said that some of the children were related to the suspect and that the gunfire happened in three homes. He added that at least ten people had been wounded by gunfire, without providing further details on their condition.
He explained that the shooting took place shortly after 6 o’clock in the morning this Sunday, local time, and that it had been classified as a domestic violence case. According to Christopher Bordelon, the suspect stole a car after the incident, before being killed when police opened fire on the vehicle during a chase that extended into neighboring Bossier Parish. Kate Stegall, spokesperson for the Louisiana State Police, indicated that authorities were investigating the circumstances under which the police shot the suspect.
Christopher Bordelon also stated that the suspect’s identity would be released once the families of the victims had been informed.
He added: “We know that some of the children who died were related to him.” Meanwhile, Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux described the situation as “tragic,” saying it might be “the worst tragedy” the city has ever known.
The Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, a native of Shreveport, wrote on social media that his team was in contact with local authorities about this “heartbreaking tragedy.”
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry also reacted on social media, stating that he and his wife were “deeply saddened by this horrific situation” and that they prayed for all those affected.
Independent of this tragedy, data from the Gun Violence Archive show that at least 119 mass shootings have been recorded in the United States since the start of the year, leaving 117 people dead, including 79 children, and 458 wounded.
Data from the same archive also show that the United States registered 407 mass shootings last year.
