NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, USA – JANUARY 7, 1973 23-year-old Mark Essex launched an armed attack at the Howard Johnson’s Motor Lodge hotel in downtown New Orleans, Louisiana. The former U.S. Navy serviceman, who held extremist racial views and openly hated white people, took over the upper floors of the 17-story building and began shooting at guests, employees, and responding police officers.
Mark Essex
During the hours-long siege, Essex shot and killed several people and started fires in hotel rooms. Police surrounded the building, and hundreds of officers and a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter took part in the operation.
Shortly before 9 p.m., officers spotted Essex on the hotel roof and opened fire on him. During the ensuing shootout, he sustained more than 200 gunshot wounds and died at the scene.
The attack followed a shooting on December 31, 1972, during which Essex killed 19-year-old police cadet Alfred Harrell and fatally wounded police officer Edwin Hosli, who died on March 5, 1973. The overall death toll from his attacks reached nine people killed and thirteen injured.
READ MORE:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Essex
