Luling man charged with 3 counts attempted murder in shooting

Armed with gun, Molotov cocktail and two cans of gasoline

A Luling man has been arrested and charged with three counts of attempted murder after he shot his father-in-law around 4 a.m. today (Aug. 2), according to the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Armed with a gun, Molotov cocktail and two cans of gasoline, William A. Canada, 30, went to 103 Lac Verret Drive where his estranged wife was staying with her parents in the affluent Ashton Plantation Subdivision, also in Luling, said Sheriff Greg Champagne.

“Due to text messages sent to Canada’s estranged wife, which raised concerns, the victim’s father spent the night in the living room out of caution,” Champagne said. “At approximately 4 a.m. this morning, the victim’s father observed Canada on the porch of the residence with two gas cans and a Molotov cocktail.”

Shortly before the attack, Canada texted “Bye bye A-holes” to his former wife.

Her father was asleep on the sofa when he awoke to see Canada on the front porch. Canada immediately began firing on the residence, up to 40 rounds, with a 9mm semi-automatic pistol. The father-in-law fired back, four to five times, until he was struck in the chest by a bullet.

Canada fled the scene and was arrested still in the subdivision. Champagne attributed the quick capture to deputies’ immediate response to numerous 911 calls about the shooting to the Sheriff’s Office.

Champagne said a background check on Canada revealed he was a U.S. Army veteran who had entered drug rehabilitation in April for an addiction to painkillers he had been using for head injuries he received from an IED that exploded while on duty in Afghanistan. Since starting the treatment, he had been struggling with depression and became unresponsive. His marriage deteriorated with his wife filing for divorce on July 22.

A search of Canada’s residence at 122 Lake Carolyn Drive turned up no additional evidence in the case, according to the sheriff’s office.

The father-in-law was taken to University Hospital in New Orleans where he was treated and released.