Eight children ages 1 to 14 were killed at two Louisiana homes on 19 April 2026 in a domestic-related attack that left 10 people total shot before the gunman died fleeing police.
NEW ORLEANS — A gunman shot 10 people — eight of them children between the ages of 1 and 14 — at two residences in Louisiana on 19 April 2026 in what state police described as a domestic-related incident. The suspect, a male adult identified by Louisiana State Police as known to the victims, died in a vehicle collision while officers pursued him on a state highway following the second shooting.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry confirmed the death toll in a statement released late on 19 April. "This is one of the most devastating acts of violence our state has witnessed," Landry wrote, adding that he had ordered flags lowered to half-staff and requested that both state and federal law enforcement resources be directed toward the investigation. Of the 10 people shot, eight died at the scenes; two others were transported to a regional trauma centre, where one remained in critical condition as of the morning of 20 April 2026.
State police identified the first location as a residential address in a rural parish and the second as a home approximately two miles away. Officers were dispatched at approximately 7:45 p.m. local time on 19 April after receiving multiple 911 calls. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene of the collision. Police did not immediately release his name, pending notification of next of kin.
“State police identified the first location as a residential address in a rural parish and the second as a home approximately two miles away.”
Louisiana shooting · gun violence · children killed
The shooting ranks among the deadliest involving child victims in Louisiana in more than two decades. The state carries one of the highest rates of gun deaths in the country: according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 2024 mortality data, Louisiana recorded 26.3 gun deaths per 100,000 residents — more than three times the national average of 8.4. Domestic-related incidents account for approximately 55 percent of all firearm homicides in the state, per a 2025 analysis published by the Louisiana Department of Health.
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→gun violence: Eight children between the ages of 1 and 14 were killed.
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→domestic violence: Eight children between the ages of 1 and 14 were killed.
The FBI's New Orleans field office confirmed in a statement on 20 April that it was assisting state police with the investigation, though the incident appeared to fall under state jurisdiction. Gun safety organisations responded within hours. "This is not a random anomaly," said John Feinblatt, President of Everytown for Gun Safety, in a statement issued on 19 April. "Eight children are dead. This is the direct, predictable consequence of America's failure to keep firearms out of dangerous hands."
Louisiana shooting · gun violence · children killed
Law enforcement officials cautioned against drawing broad policy conclusions from a case still under investigation. The domestic nature of the incident complicates the gun-control debate in ways that legislative proposals rarely acknowledge. Research published in the Journal of Urban Health (February 2025) found that mandatory background checks reduce domestic gun homicides by 17 percent — a meaningful figure, but one that leaves the majority of cases unaffected, particularly those in which the perpetrator already legally owns firearms. The CDC estimates that category covers roughly 60 percent of domestic gun murders.
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The shooting renewed pressure on a package of child safety legislation stalled in the Louisiana statehouse since February 2026. The package, introduced by state Representative Royce Duplessis of New Orleans, includes mandatory gun storage requirements in homes with children under 16 and enhanced background check timelines for handgun purchases. Duplessis posted on social media on 20 April that he intended to call an emergency committee hearing in response to the killings. Whether the hearing produces legislation in a chamber that has repeatedly declined to advance gun restrictions is a question Louisiana has faced before.
"There will be a time for policy," Louisiana State Police Superintendent Robert Hodges said at a press conference early on 20 April 2026. "Right now we are focused on the families. Ten families have been completely destroyed tonight, and that is where our attention belongs."
How many people were killed in the Louisiana shooting on 19 April 2026?
Eight children between the ages of 1 and 14 were killed. A total of 10 people were shot at two residences. Two adults were transported to hospital; one remained in critical condition as of 20 April 2026. The suspect, a male adult known to the victims, died in a vehicle collision while being pursued by police.
What was the relationship between the gunman and the victims?
Louisiana State Police described the incident as domestic-related and said the suspect was known to the victims at both locations. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene of a vehicle collision on a state highway after officers began pursuing him following the second shooting. Police withheld his identity pending next-of-kin notification.
What are Louisiana's gun laws?
Louisiana does not currently require background checks for private gun sales, does not mandate secure gun storage, and has no red flag law allowing courts to temporarily remove firearms from people deemed a risk. A legislative package introduced by state Representative Royce Duplessis in February 2026 would add storage requirements and enhanced background check timelines for handgun purchases, but the bill has stalled in committee.
How does Louisiana compare to other US states for gun violence?
Louisiana recorded 26.3 gun deaths per 100,000 residents in 2024, according to CDC mortality data — more than three times the national average of 8.4. Domestic-related incidents account for approximately 55 percent of all firearm homicides in the state, per a 2025 Louisiana Department of Health analysis, making domestic gun violence the dominant category of firearms fatality.
