WBRZ - Baton Rouge

NEW ORLEANS - A New Orleans police SWAT team member shot and killed a 46-year-old Slidell man when he shot at officers after entering a dentist's office with a gun and forcing two women into a back room Friday, police said.

The man's name will be withheld until his family is notified.

He had a history of drug, burglary and drunk driving charges dating back to 1984, police spokeswoman Remi Braden said Friday evening The man entered a dentist's office in eastern New Orleans, wearing only pants and carrying a gun, about 1 p.m. Friday and forced two female employees into a back room, she said.

"During this time, he fully disrobed. But the women were able to escape by slipping out through a side door," she wrote in a news release.

She said he came out nearly three hours later, wearing his pants and brandishing the gun, and got into his car. Police tried to negotiate with him, but he wouldn't talk, Braden said.

About 4:30 p.m., police fired gas canisters through the car's rear window. The man got out and shot at officers. One shot back, hitting the man, she wrote.