A 31-year-old man was charged after eight children, including his seven kids and their cousin, were shot and killed in Louisiana on Sunday morning in one of the deadliest mass shootings in the United States in more than two years.
The victims ranged in age from 3 to 11 years old, according to the Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office. The suspect’s wife was seriously injured in the shooting and is recovering from her wounds. The children killed were identified as Jayla, 3; Khedarrion Snow, 5; Braylon Snow, 5; Shayla Elkins, 5; Kayla Pugh, 6; Layla Pugh, 7; Markaydon Pugh, 10; and Sariahh Snow, 11.
Suspect’s Recent Struggles
Investigators learned the suspect had recently told his wife he wanted a divorce and was battling what authorities described as “dark thoughts.” A relative, Marcus Jackson, told local media the suspect said, “Some people don’t come back from their demons,” when Jackson tried to offer encouragement.
Court records show the suspect had at least two prior criminal convictions, including weapons-related charges and a 2016 DUI arrest. The suspect served in the Louisiana Army National Guard as a signal support systems specialist and fire support specialist before leaving the military in 2020 at the rank of private, according to an Army spokesperson. He had not been deployed during his service.
This story has been updated. CNN’s reporting team contributed to this report.
