As many as eight children in the age ranging from one to 14 were killed in “domestic disturbance”, as per Louisiana authorities.
The shooting occurred around 6 am on Sunday, Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith was quoted as saying by Associated Press. He said a total of 10 people shot.
Officers said the incident began about 05:00 local time (10:00 GMT). A single gunman shot 10 people before fleeing in a stolen car. Police then chased and killed the suspected shooter.
“We have hurting families, we have hurting police officers, coroners’ personnel,” Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux said. “This affects the entire community, so we all mourn with these families.”
Police did not identify the suspected gunman or the victims, but said some of the children were related to the deceased man.
“This is a tragic situation – maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had in Shreveport,” the mayor added. He asked for prayers for the families and the city.
Arceneaux said that some of the injured victims had been taken to hospital.
Police said there were multiple crime scenes, including two homes on the same block on West 79th Street and a third residence in the neighbourhood on Harrison Street.
Speaking at a news conference on Sunday, Shreveport Police Corporal Chris Bordelon said officers attended a home shortly before 06:00 local time and found the children.
“All of the deceased in this case are juveniles,” Bordelon said.
He said officers determined the incident was “domestic in nature” and noted that one person shot at the home had fled to a nearby residence.
After the shooting, the suspected gunman carjacked a vehicle and tried to flee, police said. Bordelon said officers pursued him into another neighborhood in Bossier Parish and fired at the suspect, who was later pronounced dead.
Police have not identified the shooter or the victims, saying they want to notify family members first, and believe the suspect acted alone. Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith said his heart goes out to the entire community.
The incident is the deadliest mass shooting in the US since January 2024, when eight victims were killed in Joliet, Illinois, according to the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), a nonprofit that tracks US gun violence.
GVA defines a mass shooting as an incident where four or more victims were shot, not including the suspect.
