by Wesley Harris
Eight children were killed in Shreveport Sunday morning in an apparent domestic incident.
The incident occurred about 6 a.m. in the 300 block of West 79th Street in southwest Shreveport, according to Corporal Christopher Bordelon with Shreveport Police. Bordelon said the children, who were killed by gunfire, ranged from age 1 to 14.
Bordelon said the crime scene encompassed three residences near one another, two on 79th Street and one in the 500 block of Harrison Street.
Two adults were injured, including one who was shot at the Harrison Street home. Those two victims were hospitalized in critical condition, along with a child with a broken leg.
Authorities believe the suspect was the only individual who fired shots that resulted in the children’s deaths.
Bordelon said the suspect carjacked a vehicle near the crime scene after he shot the victims. He was pursued by Shreveport patrol officers into Bossier Parish where they shot and killed the suspect on Brompton Lane.
Louisiana State Police has taken over the investigation of the officer-involved shooting.
Shreveport Police have not named the deceased suspect.
Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux provided a statement to the news media near the shooting scene. “We have a hurting community. We have hurting families. We have hurting police officers, coroner’s personnel, fire department, sheriff’s people, and this affects the entire community. We all mourn with these families. I ask, it’s a Sunday morning. I ask all of you who are, who are listening, who might be able to. Pray at your services this morning for not just this family, for all the victims, for the victims who are at the hospital, and for the Cedar Grove community and for the community at large.”
“It’s a terrible morning in Shreveport,” Arceneaux added.
Police had not determined a motive as of Sunday afternoon but stated it was a domestic incident. The Shreveport Police Department is expected to release more information later.
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