EIGHT children have been killed in a shooting spree in the southern US state of Louisiana, in what police said appears to have been an incident of domestic violence.
The gunman, who was not immediately identified, was fatally shot by police after a car chase early Sunday, officials said.
“This is a rather extensive crime scene spanning between two residences,” Shreveport Police Corporal Chris Bordelon told a press conference, adding that a third residence was also part of the scene being combed by investigators.
The victims ranged in age from one to 14, Bordelon said.
“Some of the children inside were his descendants,” he added.
Two other people were struck by gunfire, but their conditions were not immediately known.
Officials said they were still gathering details about the crime scene, which extended across three locations. Police Chief Wayne Smith said the suspected shooter was fatally shot by police during a vehicle chase.
“This is an extensive scene, unlike anything most of us have ever seen,” Smith added.
Louisiana State Police say their detectives have been asked by Shreveport police to investigate. In a statement, state police say no officers were harmed in the shooting that involved an officer after a police pursuit into Bossier City on Sunday morning.
“This is a tragic situation, maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had,” Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux said.
US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, a Shreveport native, posted on social media that his team was in touch with local police about the “heartbreaking tragedy”.
“We’re holding the victims, their families and loved ones, and our Shreveport community close in our thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time,” he said.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry posted to social media that he and his wife “are heartbroken over this horrific situation, and we’re praying for everyone affected”.
Not including this weekend’s incident in Shreveport, the Gun Violence Archive lists at least 119 mass shootings in the United States this year, resulting in 117 deaths, including 79 children, and 458 people injured.
The archive defines a mass shooting as an incident in which at least four people, not including the shooter, are injured or killed by gunfire. The United States had 407 mass shootings last year, according to archive data.