Louisiana man kills three, wounds three others in shooting spree

Ben Edward Freeman, 38, allegedly killed his wife, Denise, his former mother-in-law, Susan Gouaux - the wife of Lafourche Parish Councilman Louis Phillip Gouaux - and Milton Bourgeois, the head of Ochsner St. Anne Hospital. Freeman was found in a vehicle along a highway, dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. uncredited/AP

A Louisiana man went on a bloody rampage Thursday, killing his wife, the head of a hospital where once had worked and his former mother-in-law - the wife of a local councilman - before fatally turning the gun on himself, authorities said.

Ben Edward Freeman, 38, began his deadly shooting spree when he burst into a home in the town of Lockport about 45 miles southwest of New Orleans and shot Lafourche Parish Councilman Louis Phillip Gouaux and his wife, Susan, shortly before 7 p.m., authorities said.

WDSU

Freeman also wounded his former wife, Andrea Gouaux, in the shooting, police said.

Susan (Pixie) Gouaux died before emergency workers arrived, but her husband and daughter survived. Both were listed in critical condition at University Hospital.

WWL

About 20 minutes after the violence, Freeman allegedly went to a Raceland home and shot Milton Bourgeois, the CEO of Ochsner St. Anne General Hospital.

Parish Sheriff's Office spokesman Brennan Matherne said in a statement that Bour*geois was shot and killed. His wife, Ann Bourgeois, was also hit, but she survived, Matherne said.

WDSU

Police soon identified Freeman as the shooter and swarmed his Houma home, where they found his wife - Denise Freeman - dead in a bathtub. Her cause of death was not immediately released.

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The couple had a history of domestic violence and that courts had issued at least two protective orders, the most recent expired last month, WDSU reported.

The news station also reported that Ben Freeman was ordered to have supervised visits with his children.

ochsner.org

Freeman - who had worked at three area hospitals over the last few years, including the facility operated by Bourgeois - was found dead in a vehicle pulled over along U.S. Highway 90 near Bayou Blue, police said.

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He apparently died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Police said a shotgun was used in all of the shootings.

With News Wire Services

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