LOUISIANA – Eight children were shot and two others were injured at three homes in south Shreveport, Louisiana, early Sunday morning. According to the authorities, this is a so-called “domestic incident”. The victims were between 1 and 14 years old.
Police responded to reports of shots fired in Shreveport’s Cedar Grove neighborhood shortly after 6 a.m. (local time). Officers found victims at two homes on West 79th Street and a third home on nearby Harrison Street, police Officer Chris Bordelon said. “This is a very large crime scene with multiple deceased children,” Bordelon said.
The person believed responsible for the shooting was shot and killed by Shreveport officers after a brief pursuit, Bordelon said. Investigators believe this person was related to at least some of the victims. The suspect is probably the father of some of the children.
The suspect hijacked a vehicle and led police on a chase toward an adjacent residential area, Bordelon said. He was then shot dead in a shootout with police. “The vehicle was pursued into Bossier Parish at which point Shreveport Police Department officers discharged their firearms and that subject was pronounced dead,” Bordelon said.
Louisiana State Police are investigating the officer-involved shooting. “Investigators are working to secure the scene and gather further information,” state police said in a statement. No officers were injured.
“This is a tragic situation, possibly the most tragic we have ever seen in Shreveport,” said Mayor Tom Arceneaux.
“I just don’t know what to say. My heart is deeply touched. I simply can’t imagine how something like this could happen,” said Police Chief Wayne Smith.
Police have not yet released the names of the victims and the suspected shooter.
“I want the community to know that all my resources are being deployed to investigate every piece of evidence and we hope to be able to provide more clarity on exactly what happened in the near future,” Smith said.
