Harvey, LA: Victim shot 6 times in Harvey attempted murder/suicide

Authorities say a 48-year-old man shot the mother of his children six times before taking his own life with a gunshot wound to the head early Wednesday morning in Harvey. The Jefferson Parish coroner's office has identified the deceased as Adrian Adams of Harvey.

The victim, Brandy Perry, 34, was treated at a local hospital for gunshot wounds to her arms, chest and ear, according to relatives. She is expected to recover.

The shooting occurred at Perry's two-story residence at 2704 W. Catawba Drive, Harvey, while the pair's three children, ages 13, 12 and 9, were in nearby bedrooms.

The shooting stemmed from an ongoing quarrel over Adams' unemployment, according to Glen T. Boyd, spokesman for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. Adams allegedly woke Perry from her sleep around midnight to argue. He armed himself with a pistol when she tried to remove him from the house, Boyd said.

Perry then tried to call 911 for help, but Adams opened fire, striking her six times. Perry ran to one of her children's bedrooms and barricaded herself inside, Boyd said. Adams fired twice through the door. Perry told authorities she heard only one more pop, the sound of Adams shooting himself in their bedroom, Boyd said.

Stunned relatives, including Perry's father, mother and sister, were with her at the house late Wednesday morning helping to clean blood from her bedroom. Brandy Perry was too upset to talk about the shooting.

Her mother, Julia Nickerson, of Gretna, said she and other relatives received a frantic call about the shooting from Perry's children just after midnight. By the time they arrived, Sheriff's Office officials had already secured the scene.

Relatives aren't sure what set Adams on his homicidal rage. Nickerson, was said the two had arguments, but nothing that would have indicated this level of violence.

"I didn't think the man was capable of doing something like this to her or to anyone else," Nickerson said.