Drowning in 'Dark Thoughts': What Happened Before Louisiana Gunman Shamar Elkins Killed Eight Children?

In the days leading up to one of the deadliest shootings in the history of the United States, warning signs are seemingly coming to light as the gunman, 31-year-old Shamar Elkins, shared his frustrations and emotional turmoil on his social media account and conversations with relatives.

Phone Call at Easter With Family Reveals Emotional Distress

Weeks before the shooting, Elkins called his mother, Mahelia Elkins, and his stepfather, Marcus Jackson, on Easter Sunday to inform them that his wife, Shaneiqua Pugh, had filed for divorce.

Jackson recalled that his son was having 'dark thoughts', and that he wanted to kill himself, adding ominously that 'some people don't come back from their demons', the New York Post reported, citing The New York Times.

Struggles At Home And Other Signs of Stress

Some family members and colleagues were also noticing signs of stress for Elkins, with one of his colleagues from the UPS, Willie Vasher, saying he was a devoted father, but has a habit of pulling out his hair during stressful times.

Speaking to the Washington Post, Elkins brother-in-law, Troy Brown, who lived with him, shared that he did not notice something was off with him a day before the shooting. He then shared his recent conversations with him, saying he was devastated about the divorce.

He also shared that during the first argument about the divorce, it seemed like Elkins was 'losing his mind', and he would tell Brown that he did not want to lose his wife.

Elkins' Cryptic Messages on His Social Media Account Draw Attention

In the weeks before the shooting, Elkins would share posts asking God 'to help me guard my mind and emotion'.

In another post, on 8 March, Elkins shared a message asking if he could travel 'back in time' to have kids with a 'different woman', to which he would write in the caption, 'Hell yehhhhhhhh I would'.

New Developments in Ongoing Police Investigation; Timeline of Events

As the investigation continues, Police Chief Wayne Smith said the deadly shooting started at 5:55 a.m. when they received a call about a disturbance at West 79th Street. The caller said the suspect was a relative, and that 'he had shot everyone inside the home', NBC News reported.

There were reportedly nine people in the house.

At 6:07 a.m., dispatch received a call about a shooting on Harrison Street, where a woman reported that her boyfriend had shot her.

At 6:29 a.m., police exchanged gunfire with the suspect, and after 34 minutes, at 7:03 a.m., the suspect was pronounced dead.

The aftermath of the violence resulted in the death of eight children, while injuring two more. The deceased were identified as Jayla Elkins, 3, Shayla Elkins, 5, Kayla Pugh, 6, Layla Pugh, 7, Markaydon Pugh, 10, Sariahh Snow, 11, Khedarrion Snow, 6, and Braylon Snow, 5. Seven of the children were Elkins' kids, while the eighth child was a cousin. It is not immediately known which of the children was the cousin.

The injured, meanwhile, were identified as Elkins' wife, Shaneiqua, while the other was believed to be his girlfriend, Brittany Snow.