Federal probe finds gun used in killing of 8 children; arrest made

A federal investigation has found a Shreveport man was the person whose gun Shamar Elkins used Sunday to kill eight children and injure two others in the Cedar Grove neighborhood, authorities said Tuesday.The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana arrested Charles Ford, 56. He’s charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and making a false statement to federal agents relating to a firearm that Elkins used in the mass shooting.
Two adult female victims survived. Seven of Elkins’ children and another child, a relative, were fatally shot.
Ford faces up to 15 years in federal prison for the felon-in-possession charge and up to five years in federal prison for the false statement charge, according to prosecutors.
According to court documents, Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and the Shreveport Police Department traced the firearm to the original purchaser.
A release said, “That person identified Ford as the person to whom she’d given it. Ford, a convicted felon not permitted to possess firearms, initially lied to ATF agents about possessing the firearm, claiming he never did. Ford later admitted that he did possess the firearm, claiming that he kept the firearm under his seat. Ford further admitted to believing that Elkins took possession of the firearm.”
Zachary Kellery, a federal attorney, said in the release, “Our law enforcement partners are investigating every angle of how this tragedy came to occur, and this case arises from that investigation – in particular, how Elkins secured a firearm that he used to execute his own children.”
Elkins was killed in Bossier City. It’s unclear if he was shot by law enforcement or died by suicide.
“Elkins’ death means that our community will never see him face justice,” Keller said. “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.”
ATF Special Agent Joshua Jackson said, “Holding people accountable does not stop with the person who pulled the trigger but also includes those who give access to and proliferate firearms that are later used in violent crime.”
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Crawford.

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