A gunman in the southern US state of Louisiana killed eight children, including seven of his own, and shot two other people before being killed by police, authorities have said.

The victims of the attack, which was carried out across two houses in Shreveport on Sunday morning, ranged in age from one to about 12 years old, said Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Chris Bordelon. One of the adults wounded was the mother of the suspect’s children.

The suspect, whom Bordelon identified as Shamar Elkins, died after a police pursuit. Officers fired at the suspect during a chase after he carjacked a vehicle at gunpoint, Bordelon said.

Investigators did not say what may have set off the violence. Bordelon said there was still much to investigate, but that detectives were confident the shooting was “entirely a domestic incident”.

“This is an extensive scene, unlike anything most of us have ever seen,” Bordelon said. He said Elkins had been known to police and was arrested in 2019 in a firearms case. Officials were not aware of any other domestic violence issues.

‘Thoughts and prayers’

“This is a tragic situation; maybe the worst tragic situation we’ve ever had,” Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux said.

US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson, a Shreveport native, posted on social media that his team was in touch with local police about the “heartbreaking tragedy”.

“We’re holding the victims, their families and loved ones, and our Shreveport community close in our thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time,” he said.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry posted to social media that he and his wife “are heartbroken over this horrific situation, and we’re praying for everyone affected”.

Not including this weekend’s incident in Shreveport, the Gun Violence Archive lists at least 119 mass shootings in the United States this year, resulting in 117 deaths, including 79 children, and 458 people injured.

The archive defines a mass shooting as an incident in which at least four people, not including the shooter, are injured or killed by gunfire. The United States had 407 mass shootings last year, according to archive data. (Al Jazeera)