In the heart of New Orleans, on January 7, 1973, a day of terror unfolded that would claim the life of Walter Sherwood Collins Sr. A 56-year-old male, Collins was the general manager of the Downtown Howard Johnson's Hotel, a place that would become the epicenter of a deadly rampage. The perpetrator was a 23-year-old former Navy sailor named Mark Essex, who harbored a deep-seated racial hatred.
The ordeal began when Essex, armed with a. 44 magnum carbine, infiltrated the hotel.
His motives were starkly clear to a hotel maid whom he spared, stating, 'Don't worry. We're not killing blacks today, just whites. The revolution is here.' What followed was a calculated and brutal assault. Collins, along with the hotel's assistant manager, Frank Schneider, were among the first victims, both fatally wounded. Essex also shot and killed a young couple who were guests at the hotel.
The chaos escalated as Essex set fires within the hotel to create confusion and draw a larger police presence, his intended targets. He then made his way to the roof of the 17-story building, where he continued his sniper attack on the streets below. The city was thrown into a state of panic as the gunfire rained down indiscriminately. The violence that had started within the hotel walls now held a significant portion of New Orleans in its grip.
The ensuing hours saw a massive police response, with hundreds of officers converging on the scene. The confrontation reached its climax in a dramatic and violent rooftop showdown. Police sharpshooters, operating from a borrowed Marine helicopter, finally managed to neutralize the threat. Mark Essex was killed on the rooftop, bringing an end to his deadly siege. The aftermath of the attack left a grim toll: nine people were killed, including five police officers, and another twelve were wounded. Walter Sherwood Collins Sr.'s life was tragically cut short in a senseless act of violence that left an indelible scar on the city of New Orleans.
