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When parents kill: Forensic psychiatrists examine the motives behind unthinkable murders

On Sunday, 31-year-old Shamar Elkins killed seven of his own children and their cousin in Shreveport before dying in a police shootout. The West 79th Street incident marks the deadliest mass shooting in the United States in over two years.
Forensic psychiatrist Susan Hatters-Friedman notes fathers who commit filicide typically have histories of violence and mental illness. These perpetrators are more likely to kill their spouses and die by suicide, an act known as "family annihilation."
The Caddo Parish Coroner's Office identified victims including 3-year-old Jayla Elkins, Shayla Elkins, 5; Kayla Pugh, 6; Layla Pugh, 7; Kaydon Pugh, 10; Sariahh Snow, 11; Khedarrion Snow, 6; and Braylon Snow, 5.
Caddo Parish Sheriff Henry Whitehorn addressed the tragedy at a news conference on Monday, stating, "Your children mattered their lives mattered and their memory will not be forgotten." Investigators are working to determine a motive.
Data analyzed by Forensic Science International shows nearly 500 arrests occur annually in the United States for filicide. Experts like Hatters-Friedman study these cases to categorize motives and improve prevention efforts.

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Louisiana mass shooting: As Shreveport looks for answers, forensic psychiatrists reveal reason why parents kill

After a mass killing in Louisiana where a father shot eight children, seven of his own, experts point to patterns in filicide. Despite common assumptions, such crimes aren’t always tied to prior violence. Warning signs, including mental health struggles, are often present but missed.

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