Three Louisiana mothers spent Mother’s Day weekend mourning the deaths of eight children killed during a mass shooting in Shreveport last month, including seven children allegedly shot by their own father.
Hundreds of mourners gathered Saturday at a funeral service where the eight children were remembered in white caskets lined across the front of a church sanctuary.
The children killed in the April 19 shooting were identified as Jayla Elkins, 3; Shayla Elkins, 5; Kayla Pugh, 6; Layla Pugh, 7; Mar’Kaydon Pugh, 10; Sariahh Snow, 11; Khedarrion Snow, 6; and Braylon Snow, 5.
Authorities said seven of the children were the biological children of the suspected gunman, while the eighth child was related to him as a niece or nephew.
Police identified the suspect as 31-year-old Shamar Elkins and described the attack as domestic in nature following the deadly shooting inside the family home.
The shooting also seriously wounded two of the children’s mothers during the attack, according to reports describing the events surrounding the mass killing.
Rep. Cleo Fields (D-LA) called the tragedy the nation’s deadliest mass shooting in more than two years during remarks at the funeral service.
“This is not a Shreveport mourning,” Fields said while addressing grieving families and community members gathered at the church. “This is a nation mourning.”
Mourners filled the sanctuary as gospel music played and family members viewed the children in open caskets decorated with flowers, ribbons, crowns and tiaras.
Funeral pamphlets described the children’s personalities and favorite activities, remembering them as loving siblings, energetic students and children devoted to family and friends.
Pastor Al George also prayed for teachers, principals and classmates at the schools attended by the victims.
“They’re going to school and see empty desks,” George said while discussing the impact the killings would have on students and educators throughout the community.
Community members later gathered at a makeshift memorial outside the home where the shooting occurred, leaving flowers, balloons, stuffed animals and handwritten messages for the children, per CNN.
Investigators said some of the children attempted to escape the home during the attack, while visible bullet holes remained in portions of the residence following the shooting.
The three mothers sat together dressed in white at the funeral service while grieving relatives followed horse-drawn carriages carrying the children’s caskets into the cemetery for burial.
Eight white doves were released into the sky at the graveside service as mourners laid roses across the caskets during final prayers for the children killed in the shooting.
