Gun used in Shreveport shooting was stolen from truck, court documents say

If you or someone you know is the victim of domestic abuse, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233. The free service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Every call is confidential, and you can remain anonymous. 

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A Louisiana man has been charged with supplying the gun that was used in the Shreveport shooting that killed eight children over the weekend. 

Man charged after Shreveport shooting

The backstory:

The Department of Justice said it traced the origins of the gun, and that the original purchaser said she’d given it to Charles Ford, 56. 

The DOJ says Ford has a felony conviction and therefore not able to have a gun, and claimed that he falsely told agents that he never had possession of the gun. They claim he later admitted he did have the gun and that he said he kept it under the seat of his car, and that he thought Shamar Elkins, whom police have named as the gunman, took it from there. 

Ford told investigators he suspected Elkins because he was one of the few people to ride with him, according to a criminal complaint filed in Louisiana federal court. Ford allegedly said it was around March 9 when he noticed the gun was missing.

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.

Charges:

Ford has been charged with the following:

• Felon in possession of a firearm (Up to 15 years in federal prison)
• Making a false statement to federal agents (Up to 5 years in federal prison)

What they’re saying:

“Elkins’ death means that our community will never see him face justice. 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,” U.S. attorney Zachary A. Keller said in a press release. 

RELATED: Shreveport, Louisiana survivors escaped via the roof and called 911: police

Shreveport shooting

What we know:

Eight children were killed and two adult women were hurt in the early morning hours of Sunday, April 19, across two homes in Shreveport, Louisiana. 

The gunman has been identified as Shamar Elkins, and police said he was the father of seven of the children who were killed and was married to one of the women that was hurt.

Police said he stole a car and drove off from the scene before he was killed by gunfire elsewhere during a police pursuit. 

READ MORE: Shreveport, Louisiana shooting: Timeline of events

What we don’t know:

Investigators haven’t given a motive or said what led up to the killings, except to say it was a “domestic disturbance.” They also haven’t elaborated on the relationship between the second woman that was hurt and the eighth child killed.

It’s also not clear if Elkins was killed by officers who fired or from a self-inflicted gunshot, police now say.

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If you or someone you know is the victim of domestic abuse, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233. The free service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Every call is confidential, and you can remain anonymous. 

Mass ShootingsCrime and Public SafetyLouisianaNews