Shreveport Man Charged Federally for Possessing Gun Used in Mass Shooting That Killed 8 Children

SHREVEPORT, La. (KPEL-FM) - A Shreveport man faces federal charges after authorities say he possessed the gun used in a weekend mass shooting that claimed the lives of eight children.

Who Is Charles Ford, and What Is He Charged With?

Charles Ford, 56, was charged April 21, 2026, with being a felon in possession of a firearm and making a false statement to federal agents, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana. Ford faces up to 15 years in federal prison on the weapons charge and up to five years for the false statement charge.

READ MORE: Louisiana Habitual Domestic Violence Offender Registry Being Proposed

The charges stem from the April 19 shooting carried out by Shamar Elkins, who authorities say fatally shot seven of his own children and a cousin before fleeing the scene. Elkins also shot and seriously wounded his wife and another woman believed to be his girlfriend. He later died near a home not far from the scene, and it remains unclear whether he died by suicide or was shot by police. Elkins had also carjacked a person at gunpoint before his death.

How Ford's Gun Ended Up in Shamar Elkins' Hands

According to an affidavit, a woman told federal agents she gave Ford a Mossberg pistol while she was hospitalized last year. When ATF agents initially interviewed Ford on Monday, he denied ever possessing the weapon, citing his criminal history as a reason he was not allowed to own firearms. During a follow-up interview, Ford admitted he had kept the pistol under the seat of his truck, and said he noticed it missing on March 9. Ford said he believed Elkins, whom he described as one of the few people who rode in his truck, had stolen it. When Ford confronted Elkins about the missing gun, he said Elkins became "offensive," so he dropped the matter.

Get our free mobile app

Elkins' Background: Criminal History and Mental Health Treatment

Ford was convicted of simple robbery in 2000 and pleaded guilty to domestic abuse battery in 2011. Elkins, a former National Guardsman, had been convicted of illegal use of a firearm in 2019, a conviction that likely barred him from legally owning a weapon. Relatives have said Elkins had recently sought mental health treatment at a Veterans Affairs medical center.

Federal Officials Respond: 'Accountability Does Not Stop with the Person Who Pulled the Trigger'

U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller addressed the gravity of the case in a statement Tuesday. "Words fall short in the face of the acts Shamar Elkins perpetrated in Shreveport on April 19 — they are beyond comprehension or description," Keller said, adding that while Elkins' death means he will never face justice, prosecuting those who gave him access to a firearm may offer "some small bit of solace to our Shreveport community."

ATF Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson echoed that message, saying accountability "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 investigation is ongoing.