Fallen officer Michael Louviere was war veteran, father of two, Westwego police chief says

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http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2017/01/westwego_police_shooting_marre.html#incart_big-photo

Westwego police officer Michael Louviere, who was shot in the head and killed while responding to a traffic incident in Marrero Friday morning (Jan. 20), was a U.S. Marine who served in Afghanistan before joining the police force in July 2015, according to Westwego Police Chief Dwayne Munch.

Louviere, a 26-year-old father of two young children who lived in Marrero, graduated first in his class from the Kenner Police Academy, where he won multiple awards, Munch said during a press conference. Delivering the news of his death to Louviere's wife at the hospital Friday morning was "one of the hardest things I've ever had to do," he said.

According to Munch, Louviere ended his shift at 6 a.m. Friday and was headed home on Ames Boulevard when he received word of the traffic incident near the intersection of Barataria Boulevard. He was in full uniform when he was shot, Munch said.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand named Sylvester Holt, 32, as a person of interest in the shooting. As of 11:45 a.m., JPSO and other law enforcement entities were still searching for Holt.

In the wake of the shooting, Louviere was rushed to West Jefferson Medical Center. It is unclear whether he died prior to arriving at the emergency room, Normand said.

Around 10:15 a.m., Westwego Mayor John Shaddinger joined several Jefferson Parish chaplains on the hospital's second floor to pray with members of Louviere's family. Munch said Louviere's brother is a member of the New Orleans Police Department, and his cousin is a deputy with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Department.

"He was first in everything he did," Shaddinger said of Louviere, adding that he was well-liked by members of the community. He said Louviere celebrated his 26th birthday on Wednesday (Jan. 18).