Shamar Elkins posted photo of daughter before allegedly killing 8 children in Shreveport

The gunman who allegedly shot dead eight children in Louisiana on Sunday morning had posted a cheerful photograph of his daughter online just hours before carrying out the killings . Shortly after 6am Central Time, Shamar Elkins, a 31 year old army veteran, allegedly carried out the horrific attacks across three properties in Shreveport, according to authorities. At a press conference on Sunday, a police spokesperson read out the ages of the victims, who ranged from 1 to 12 years old, prompting audible gasps from those in attendance. On his Facebook page, Elkins shared a photograph of himself with his eldest daughter as she ate a burger just hours before the devastating bloodshed. "Lol!!!! Took my oldest on a lil 1 on 1 date had to catch her down bad ugh ugh," he captioned the photo with laughing emojis. Elkins also posted a photograph of himself with seven children a fortnight ago, writing about taking them to church for an Easter service. "Happy Easter had a wonderful time at church for the first time with all my kids what a blessed day," he wrote in the Facebook post, reports the Mirror US . However, Elkins also made reference to mental health struggles in a recent Facebook post in which he asked God to "guard" his thoughts. "Dear God, Today I ask You to help me guard my mind and my emotions," read the post dated April 9. "When negativity arises, remind me to say, 'It does not belong to me, in the name of Jesus,' he said. Around six in the morning on Sunday, gunfire rang out in Shreveport, Louisiana, and police verified that ten persons were hit in the domestic dispute. At a press conference, Shreveport Police Department Corporal Chris Bordelon stated that the large crime scene included three locations in the Cedar Grove area. Bordelon told reporters that Elkins carried out a carjacking after fleeing the scene, with patrol officers giving chase before he was fatally shot by police. Corporal Bordelon stated that Elkins allegedly opened fire in the 300 block of West 79th Street, near Linwood Avenue, claiming several lives in the process. Officers also confirmed that Elkins fired upon a property on Harrison Street, located a quarter of a mile away. Bordelon added: "This is an extensive scene unlike anything most of us have ever seen." The vast crime scene encompasses four locations in total, including two houses and a further property on a separate street. Authorities have confirmed that seven of the children who lost their lives were Elkins' children. Several prominent public figures released statements on Sunday condemning the devastating incident. "My heart is taken aback, I just cannot begin to imagine how such an event can occur," Police Chief Wayne Smith added. "This affects the entire community. We all mourn with these families," Shreveport mayor Tom Arceneaux told reporters. "It's a Sunday morning, I ask all of you to pray at your services this morning not just for this family, but for all the victims, for the victims at the hospital, and the community at large."