A gunman killed eight children, seven of them his own, and wounded two women in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Sunday during what police described as a domestic incident. The shooter, who had argued with his wife over their planned separation, also seriously injured his wife and another woman. Local leaders called it one of the city's worst days ever.
Police in Shreveport said the gunman opened fire on Sunday, killing eight children and seriously wounding two women, including his wife. A neighbor told The Associated Press that the women were the children's mothers and that the couple had recently argued about separating. The attacker had pleaded guilty to a weapons charge in 2019 but had no prior domestic abuse convictions, according to authorities. This marked the nation's deadliest shooting in more than two years, officials noted, characterizing it as a devastating outcome of local domestic violence issues. Shreveport councilmember Grayson Boucher referred to a 'true epidemic of domestic violence' in the city, urging it become a top priority for the administration, council, and law enforcement. Mayor Tom Arceneaux encouraged residents to use new community resources, such as a domestic violence shelter established by the sheriff's office. Councilmember Tabatha Taylor said, 'These are the residual effects of what happens if we're not paying attention.' Advocates highlighted links between domestic violence and gun deaths. Sam Levy, director of policy advocacy at Everytown for Gun Safety, stated, 'The nexus between gun violence and domestic violence is one of the most well-established and horrific realities of America's gun violence crisis.' Levy noted Louisiana lacks an 'extreme risk' or 'red flag' law, which could temporarily bar firearm access for those in crisis. Former congresswoman Gabby Giffords called on leaders to 'act now' for reforms, as her organization gave Louisiana a failing grade in gun laws. Angela Ferrell-Zabala of Moms Demand Action said, 'Eight babies just had their futures stolen in an act of violence that should never have been possible.'