A Louisiana father fatally shot eight children, including seven of his own, in an attack on his family on Sunday in one of the deadliest mass shootings in the US in recent years.<\/p>\n
Two women, including the gunman’s wife who was the mother of their children, were also shot and critically wounded, according to police in Shreveport, Louisiana. <\/p>\n
A local coroner said the children \u2014 who were all killed in the same house \u2014 were Jayla Elkins (three); Shayla Elkins (five); Kayla Pugh (six); Layla Pugh (seven); Markaydon Pugh (10); Sariahh Snow (11); Khedarrion Snow (six); and Braylon Snow (five). <\/p>\n
Previous statements from the authorities had suggested the children killed were aged between one and 14.<\/p>\n
A 13-year-old boy was injured after fleeing from a home and jumping from the roof, police said, according to reports by ITV News’ US partner CNN.<\/p>\n
Police enter a house that is is one of the locations tied to a mass shooting. Credit: AP<\/p>\n
The gunman, identified as 31-year-old Shamar Elkins, died after a police pursuit that ended with officers firing on him, according to Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Chris Bordelon.<\/p>\n
Authorities did not say what may have set off the violence but Bordelon said detectives were confident the shooting was \u201centirely a domestic incident\u201d. <\/p>\n
The suspect stole a car while leaving the scene of the shootings and was followed by police, he said.<\/p>\n
Officials said they were still gathering details about the crime scene in the city of Shreveport, which extended across three locations.<\/p>\n
Police said the attacks began in a neighbourhood south of downtown Shreveport when the suspect shot a woman at one home and then drove to the other location “where this heinous act was carried out”.<\/p>\n
State Representative Tammy Phelps said some children tried to escape out the back door.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can’t even imagine what the police officers, first responders actually dealt with when they got here today,\u201d she said at a news conference. <\/p>\n