Police Say Man Firing Gun at Cars, May Have Killed Wife

Quick police work in Broken Arrow saves the lives of two children. But the officers were not in time to save the children's mother. Their father is the chief suspect in the crime.<br><br>It started

Wednesday, September 22nd 1999, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Quick police work in Broken Arrow saves the lives of two children. But the officers were not in time to save the children's mother. Their father is the chief suspect in the crime.

It started when Broken Arrow police responded to a report of a man shooting at cars. They arrested Harold Freed at the scene and, in a routine check of his home, found his wife dead. She had been shot. "We also found two children, ages one and three, in the back bedroom of the house," said Lieutenant Carole Newell. "They were taken out unharmed and now are in D-H-S custody."

Police say the house was filled with natural gas in an apparent attempt to kill the children. "It's unknown how long the gas had been turned on," said Newell, "but since the girls appear to be unharmed, probably not for a real long time, though it's hard to say."

Though several shots were fired near 101st and Garnett, no one was hurt. Police say two cars were hit by gunfire in the intersection. The bullets were from a 357 magnum handgun. They'll have to wait for the medical examiner's report to be certain, but police believe it was the same gun used to kill Mrs. Freed.

Police say Harold Freed is a suspect in the shooting of his wife, but he has not been charged in that case. He has been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for shooting at the cars. "We don't often find people standing in intersections, firing at passing motorists on a regular basis," said Newell. "I think that led the officers to think that other crimes might have been committed." Newell credits the quick discovery of the children to good police work.