In the early morning hours of April 19, 2026, the life of 10-year-old Markaydon Pugh was tragically cut short in a horrific act of domestic violence that shook the city of Shreveport, Louisiana. The young boy was one of eight children fatally shot by 31-year-old Shamar Elkins in the Cedar Grove neighborhood. The devastating event stemmed from a domestic dispute between Elkins and his wife, Shaneiqua Pugh, at a residence on West 79th Street.
The violence began just before 6:00 a.m.
when Elkins shot his wife. He then turned his weapon on the children in the home. A distress call to the Shreveport Police came from Keosha Pugh, who had fled to the roof of the house with her children to escape the rampage. It was during this desperate attempt to find safety that Markaydon Pugh was fatally wounded. Another child was able to escape by jumping from the roof and survived.
In the aftermath of the shooting at the initial residence, Elkins' violent spree continued. He went to another location where he shot Christina Snow, the mother of three of his children. He then carjacked a vehicle and led law enforcement on a pursuit into the neighboring Bossier City. The chase concluded with an officer-involved shooting that resulted in Elkins' death. Both Shaneiqua Pugh and Christina Snow were critically injured but survived the attacks.
The eight young victims of this tragedy were identified as Jayla Elkins, 3; Shayla Elkins, 5; Braylon Snow, 5; Khedarrion Snow, 6; Kayla Pugh, 6; Layla Pugh, 7; Markaydon Pugh, 10; and Sariahh Snow, 11. Seven of the children, including Markaydon, were Elkins' own, while the eighth was a cousin. The incident was the culmination of a domestic dispute, with reports indicating that Elkins and his wife were in the process of separating and were scheduled to be in court the day after the shooting. In connection with the firearm used in the massacre, federal charges were brought against 56-year-old Charles Ford for being a felon in possession of a firearm and making a false statement to federal agents.
