Man Faces Federal Charges After Weapon Used in Shreveport Mass Shooting Was Stolen from His Truck

A Shreveport resident has been charged in federal court after investigators determined that the gun used in a mass shooting that claimed the lives of eight children was previously in his possession but reported stolen weeks before the tragedy. Authorities announced Tuesday that Charles Ford, 56, faces charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and making false statements to federal agents, both allegedly tied to the assault-style rifle connected with the killings.

Officials say Ford told investigators he suspected Shamar Elkins—later identified as the perpetrator and the father of seven of the victims—had taken the gun from his truck around March 9, following a confrontation after Ford noticed the weapon was missing. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana, Ford initially denied having the gun but later admitted to believing Elkins took it, noting Elkins was among the few people who had recently ridden with him.

The gun’s history is being traced by Shreveport police and federal firearms agents, after the original purchaser told authorities she had given the weapon to Ford. Ford is currently without an appointed legal representative and is expected to receive a federal public defender. Attempts to contact Ford’s former attorney and relatives have not been successful.

The shooting unfolded before dawn across two homes, resulting in the deaths of three boys and five girls, ranging in age from three to eleven, and leaving two women injured, according to investigators. Elkins died during a police pursuit, but officials have not confirmed whether he was killed by law enforcement or a self-inflicted gunshot.

This incident stands among the deadliest recent mass shootings in the United States. Calls for stricter gun control measures have intensified in the state, though proposed regulations frequently encounter resistance. The investigation into the firearm’s origins and broader circumstances surrounding the tragedy remains ongoing.