Many have come to know it simply as the "Howard Johnson Traqedy." Over a seven-day period beginning on December 31, 1972, a lone gunman named Mark J. Essex waged war on the New Orleans Police Department and many innocent civilians.
The series of snipings and gun battles ended with five members of the Department killed.
They were Alfred E. Harrell, Edwin Hosli Sr., Paul Persigo, Philip Coleman and Assistant Superintendent Louis J. Sirgo.
Essex was finally shot and killed on January 7, 1973, after being tracked down at the Downtown Howard Johnson's hotel.
Realizing he was trapped, he set a number of diversionary fires throughout the hotel while killing four civilians and wounding numerous others, including several police officers and firefighters.
Officer Persigo is buried in Garden Of Memories Cemetery in Metairie, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, USA
Plot: Section R, Square 68, Plot 3, Lot 1∼Patrolman Paul A. Persigo
New Orleans Police Department
Louisiana
End of Watch: Sunday, January 7, 1973
Biographical Info
Age: Not available
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Sunday, January 7, 1973
Weapon Used: Rifle; .44 caliber
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Patrolman Persigo, Patrolman Philip Coleman, and Deputy Superintendent Louis Sirgo where shot and killed by a sniper who had shot several civilians and set fires at a local hotel. Patrolman Persigo was shot as he attempted to clear civilians from the front of the hotel. The suspect, who was a member of the Black Panthers, was shot and killed by police, who used a Marine Helicopter to fly over the hotel and fire at the suspect.
The suspect was also responsible for the murders of Cadet Alfred Harrell and Sergeant Edwin Hosli, who were shot in separate incidents eight days earlier. Officer Harrell was killed instantly and Sergeant Hosli succumbed to his wounds on March 5, 1973.
The Black Panthers was a racist, radical group that professed the murders of law enforcement officers. Members and former members of the group were responsible for the murders of at least 15 law enforcement officers and the wounding of dozens more across the nation.
The series of snipings and gun battles ended with five members of the Department killed.
They were Alfred E. Harrell, Edwin Hosli Sr., Paul Persigo, Philip Coleman and Assistant Superintendent Louis J. Sirgo.
Essex was finally shot and killed on January 7, 1973, after being tracked down at the Downtown Howard Johnson's hotel.
Realizing he was trapped, he set a number of diversionary fires throughout the hotel while killing four civilians and wounding numerous others, including several police officers and firefighters.
Officer Persigo is buried in Garden Of Memories Cemetery in Metairie, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, USA
Plot: Section R, Square 68, Plot 3, Lot 1∼Patrolman Paul A. Persigo
New Orleans Police Department
Louisiana
End of Watch: Sunday, January 7, 1973
Biographical Info
Age: Not available
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Sunday, January 7, 1973
Weapon Used: Rifle; .44 caliber
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Patrolman Persigo, Patrolman Philip Coleman, and Deputy Superintendent Louis Sirgo where shot and killed by a sniper who had shot several civilians and set fires at a local hotel. Patrolman Persigo was shot as he attempted to clear civilians from the front of the hotel. The suspect, who was a member of the Black Panthers, was shot and killed by police, who used a Marine Helicopter to fly over the hotel and fire at the suspect.
The suspect was also responsible for the murders of Cadet Alfred Harrell and Sergeant Edwin Hosli, who were shot in separate incidents eight days earlier. Officer Harrell was killed instantly and Sergeant Hosli succumbed to his wounds on March 5, 1973.
The Black Panthers was a racist, radical group that professed the murders of law enforcement officers. Members and former members of the group were responsible for the murders of at least 15 law enforcement officers and the wounding of dozens more across the nation.
Many have come to know it simply as the "Howard Johnson Traqedy." Over a seven-day period beginning on December 31, 1972, a lone gunman named Mark J. Essex waged war on the New Orleans Police Department and many innocent civilians.
The series of snipings and gun battles ended with five members of the Department killed.
They were Alfred E. Harrell, Edwin Hosli Sr., Paul Persigo, Philip Coleman and Assistant Superintendent Louis J. Sirgo.
Essex was finally shot and killed on January 7, 1973, after being tracked down at the Downtown Howard Johnson's hotel.
Realizing he was trapped, he set a number of diversionary fires throughout the hotel while killing four civilians and wounding numerous others, including several police officers and firefighters.
Officer Persigo is buried in Garden Of Memories Cemetery in Metairie, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, USA
Plot: Section R, Square 68, Plot 3, Lot 1∼Patrolman Paul A. Persigo
New Orleans Police Department
Louisiana
End of Watch: Sunday, January 7, 1973
Biographical Info
Age: Not available
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Sunday, January 7, 1973
Weapon Used: Rifle; .44 caliber
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Patrolman Persigo, Patrolman Philip Coleman, and Deputy Superintendent Louis Sirgo where shot and killed by a sniper who had shot several civilians and set fires at a local hotel. Patrolman Persigo was shot as he attempted to clear civilians from the front of the hotel. The suspect, who was a member of the Black Panthers, was shot and killed by police, who used a Marine Helicopter to fly over the hotel and fire at the suspect.
The suspect was also responsible for the murders of Cadet Alfred Harrell and Sergeant Edwin Hosli, who were shot in separate incidents eight days earlier. Officer Harrell was killed instantly and Sergeant Hosli succumbed to his wounds on March 5, 1973.
The Black Panthers was a racist, radical group that professed the murders of law enforcement officers. Members and former members of the group were responsible for the murders of at least 15 law enforcement officers and the wounding of dozens more across the nation.
The series of snipings and gun battles ended with five members of the Department killed.
They were Alfred E. Harrell, Edwin Hosli Sr., Paul Persigo, Philip Coleman and Assistant Superintendent Louis J. Sirgo.
Essex was finally shot and killed on January 7, 1973, after being tracked down at the Downtown Howard Johnson's hotel.
Realizing he was trapped, he set a number of diversionary fires throughout the hotel while killing four civilians and wounding numerous others, including several police officers and firefighters.
Officer Persigo is buried in Garden Of Memories Cemetery in Metairie, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, USA
Plot: Section R, Square 68, Plot 3, Lot 1∼Patrolman Paul A. Persigo
New Orleans Police Department
Louisiana
End of Watch: Sunday, January 7, 1973
Biographical Info
Age: Not available
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Sunday, January 7, 1973
Weapon Used: Rifle; .44 caliber
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Patrolman Persigo, Patrolman Philip Coleman, and Deputy Superintendent Louis Sirgo where shot and killed by a sniper who had shot several civilians and set fires at a local hotel. Patrolman Persigo was shot as he attempted to clear civilians from the front of the hotel. The suspect, who was a member of the Black Panthers, was shot and killed by police, who used a Marine Helicopter to fly over the hotel and fire at the suspect.
The suspect was also responsible for the murders of Cadet Alfred Harrell and Sergeant Edwin Hosli, who were shot in separate incidents eight days earlier. Officer Harrell was killed instantly and Sergeant Hosli succumbed to his wounds on March 5, 1973.
The Black Panthers was a racist, radical group that professed the murders of law enforcement officers. Members and former members of the group were responsible for the murders of at least 15 law enforcement officers and the wounding of dozens more across the nation.
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