Federal prosecutors announced criminal charges on Tuesday against Charles Ford, 56, accusing him of unlawful possession of a firearm and of making false statements to federal agents after the weapon used in a mass killing of children in Shreveport was linked to him.
Authorities say the short-barreled, AR-style weapon used in the attack was the same firearm connected to the federal counts. Police say that Shamar Elkins used that weapon to kill seven of his own children and a nephew, ages ranging from 3 to 11. Officials said Elkins also shot his wife, who is the mother of several of the children and was hospitalized with serious injuries, as well as another woman. Elkins was fatally shot by police during a vehicle chase, authorities said.
Investigators tracked the rifle back to the person who originally purchased it. That person told investigators she had given the firearm to Ford, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana said in a statement announcing the charges.
Prosecutors contend that Ford, a convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms, initially denied having the weapon during an interview with federal agents. According to the criminal complaint, he later acknowledged he had possessed the rifle, telling agents he had kept it under his seat and that he believed Elkins took it.
U.S. Attorney Zachary Keller said law enforcement partners are "investigating every angle of how this tragedy came to occur" and that prosecutors hoped holding others accountable would provide "some small bit of solace" to the affected community.
If convicted, Ford faces a statutory maximum of up to 15 years in prison on the felon-in-possession charge and up to five years on the false-statement count. Federal public defenders assigned as his counsel did not immediately respond to a request for comment, the statement said.
This case remains under active federal investigation. The charges announced allege specific conduct tied to the weapon used in a deadly attack that resulted in multiple fatalities and serious injuries. Prosecutors have set out the counts they will pursue; further developments will hinge on the ongoing investigative and prosecutorial process.