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A man shot seven of his own children aged between one and 14 years old on Sunday, leaving the town in shock following the horror attack.

The ages of the children killed ranged from 1 to approximately 14 years old, police said. Shreveport Police Department identified the suspected shooter to CBS News as Shamar Elkins.

Ten victims were struck by gunfire in all, spokesperson Chris Bordelon said at a news conference. In a statement, police said "two adult women were being treated for serious injuries, and a teenager was also injured in the shootings, but those injuries were not considered life-threatening".

Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith told CBS he couldn't "even begin to imagine how such an event could occur" and said investigators will be "going through every piece of evidence at every scene" to understand what took place.

Police said officers responded to the shooting just after 6 am ET at the residence where the victims were shot. The suspect fled, carjacked a vehicle at gunpoint nearby and was chased by police, the department also said. Police said the suspect was killed after officers involved in that chase opened fire.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry said he and his wife Sharon "are heartbroken over this horrific situation, and we're praying for everyone affected. We're deeply grateful to the law enforcement officers and first responders working tirelessly on the scene".

Two adult women, including the mother of the children, are in critical condition, the BBC added. The suspect shot a woman on the street before going to a nearby residence where he killed the eight children, "one of whom was not a kin to him", Shreveport Police also said.

Louisiana State Police said its detectives will investigate the shooting since it also involved one of its officers.

Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux said the shooting "affects the entire community". He also added: "This is a tragic situation, maybe the worst tragic situation we've ever had in Shreveport. We all mourn for these families."