Key Takeaways

• Incident Overview: A 56-year-old man from Shreveport was arrested following a mass shooting involving Shamar Elkins.
• Gun Ownership: Charles Ford, the gun’s previous owner, claimed it was stolen by Elkins prior to the shooting.
• Legal Consequences: Ford faces charges for firearm possession as a felon and providing false statements to federal agents.
• Victims: The shooting resulted in the deaths of seven children and injuries to two women.

A 56-year-old man from Shreveport was arrested and charged in connection with the mass shooting carried out by Shamar Elkins. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana, Charles Ford previously owned the assault-style gun Elkins used to shoot his wife, Shaneiqua Pugh, and his alleged girlfriend, Christina Snow, on Sunday. Both women remain in the hospital. Ultimately, Shamar killed his seven children and Pugh’s nephew and later died amid a police pursuit.

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Man Charged Claims Shamar Elkins Stole The Gun From Him

Charles Ford told investigators he suspected Shamar Elkins stole the gun from his truck in the weeks leading up to the mass shooting. According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court, Ford suspected Elkins because he was one of the few people to ride with him. Ford allegedly said it was around March 9 when he noticed the gun was missing.

In response, Ford said he confronted Elkins about the missing weapon. But when Elkins became “offensive,” Ford “let it go,” according to a court affidavit filed Tuesday.

“According to allegations set forth in court documents, ATF and the Shreveport Police Department began investigating a firearms trace on the rifle below, which Elkins used to perpetrate his mass shooting,” per the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Louisiana.

Why Did Officials Charge Charles Ford After Louisiana Mass Shooting?

Charles Ford is a felon who was in possession of a firearm and made a false statement to federal agents, says the affidavit. Ford originally denied having the gun when investigators first approached him after the shooting on Sunday, per court records.

“When law enforcement interviewed the original purchaser, that person identified Ford as the person to whom she’d given it. Ford, a convicted felon not permitted to possess firearms, initially lied to ATF agents about possessing the firearm, claiming he never did. Ford later admitted that he did possess the firearm, claiming that he kept the firearm under his seat,” per the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Louisiana.

Ford does not currently have an appointed legal representative. According to federal court records, he will likely receive a federal public defender.

“Shamar Elkins’ death means that our community will never see him face justice,” U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller said in a statement. “Our hope, as we continue to investigate and prosecute this case alongside our law enforcement partners, is that holding the person whose gun Elkins used to perpetrate the crime accountable will give some small bit of solace to our Shreveport community.”

What Happened To Shamar Elkins After The Family Shooting?

Shamar Elkins died after fleeing the second crime scene — reportedly his wife’s home — and a police pursuit. It was not clear whether officers killed him or whether he died from a self-inflicted gunshot, according to police. The third crime scene involved a carjacking in the same neighborhood.

Elkins’ wife, Shaneiqua Pugh, and Christina Snow, a woman believed to be his girlfriend, were also shot and wounded in the rampage. The attack unfolded across two houses before dawn.

Three boys, Christina’s sons and Shaneiqua’s nephew, passed away. Additionally, Pugh’s four daughters also passed. Elkins was the father of seven out of eight who died. Snow reportedly called the police to report that Elkins had shot her and kidnapped their three children. According to NBC News, he took the kids to his wife’s home about two streets over and killed them along with their four sisters. One child was reportedly found deceased on the home’s roof while others had tried to escape through the back door. Some died in their sleep while most suffered headshot wounds. The children ranged in age from 3 to 11 years old.

Elkins pleaded guilty in 2019 to a felony of illegal use of weapons according to court documents. As a result, a Caddo Parish district judge sentenced Elkins to 18 months of supervised probation. Also, Elkins turned his handgun into police as a condition of probation; court filings show.

Under Louisiana law, a person convicted of certain violent felonies – including illegal use of weapons – is banned from having a gun for at least 10 years after completing their sentence and probation. Officials have not addressed whether Elkins was legally prohibited from having a weapon.

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Associated Press reporters Sara Cline and Jack Brook contributed to this report via AP Newsroom.