💔 A 31-year-old dad shot and killed his 8 young kids

A 31-year-old father allegedly shot and killed his seven young children and their cousin on Sunday morning in Louisiana, in what has been described as one of the deadliest mass shootings in the United States in over two years. The youngest victim, Jayla, was 3 years old. The other children who died were Shayla Elkins (5), Kayla Pugh (6), Layla Pugh (7), Markaydon Pugh (10), Sariahh Snow (11), Khedarrion Snow (6), and Braylon Snow (5), according to the Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office.

Police say the suspect had recently told his wife, who was seriously injured in the shooting, that he wanted a divorce and was struggling with “dark thoughts.” A relative, Marcus Jackson, told local media he tried to encourage the suspect, recalling that the man said, “Some people don’t come back from their demons.”

Military Service and Criminal History

Authorities also said the suspect had served in the Louisiana Army National Guard as a signal support systems specialist and a fire support specialist. He left the military in 2020 at the rank of private and had not been deployed, according to an Army spokesperson. Court records indicate he had at least two prior criminal convictions, including weapons-related charges and a 2016 DUI arrest.