Fred Cowan and the 1977 New Rochelle Massacre
Overview of the Crime
Frederick William “Fred” Cowan was a 33-year-old suspended employee who carried out a deadly workplace shooting at the Neptune Worldwide Moving Company in New Rochelle, New York. On the morning of February 14, 1977, Cowan entered the company’s office and warehouse complex armed with a semiautomatic rifle, several handguns and a large supply of ammunition. He killed five people that morning, including four employees and a responding police officer. A sixth victim died from his injuries approximately six weeks later.
The attack developed into a prolonged siege that brought hundreds of police officers to the industrial property. Cowan barricaded himself inside the building, fired at officers and people outside, and kept authorities at a distance for several hours. When police eventually entered the structure, they found that Cowan had taken his own life.
Fred Cowan’s Background
Fred Cowan was born on June 1, 1943, and was raised in New Rochelle. He served in the United States Army and reportedly developed considerable skill with firearms. He later became involved in weightlifting and bodybuilding and was described as a physically imposing man, standing approximately six feet tall and weighing about 250 pounds.
People who knew Cowan offered conflicting descriptions of him. Some remembered him as friendly or quiet, while others described him as hostile, prejudiced and prone to making threatening remarks. Cowan openly expressed racist and antisemitic beliefs. He admired Adolf Hitler, collected Nazi objects and decorated his body with tattoos associated with Nazi Germany, including swastikas and iron crosses. Coworkers reported that he made hateful statements about Black and Jewish people and occasionally referred to himself as a successor to Hitler.
Cowan was also an enthusiastic gun collector. His firearms included rifles and semiautomatic pistols, and he was familiar with their operation. Although some people were aware of his extremist beliefs and access to weapons, the full danger he presented was not understood until the morning of the massacre.
Suspension from Neptune Worldwide Moving Company
Cowan worked as a furniture mover for Neptune Worldwide Moving Company, which operated from a large office and warehouse complex on Nardozzi Place in New Rochelle. The company employed movers, drivers, warehouse workers, mechanics, office staff and other employees.
Shortly before the shooting, Cowan was suspended from his job following complaints about his conduct toward customers. His supervisor, Norman Bing, was involved in the disciplinary action. Bing was Jewish, and Cowan reportedly directed antisemitic hatred toward him. Investigators concluded that Cowan’s anger over the suspension, combined with his longstanding racial and ideological hatred, contributed to his decision to attack the workplace.
Cowan was believed to have intended to kill Bing. However, Bing survived by hiding under a desk while Cowan searched through portions of the building. Instead of reaching his intended target, Cowan opened fire on other employees who happened to be present when he arrived.
The Morning of February 14, 1977
Shortly before 8:00 a.m. on Monday, February 14, 1977, Cowan drove to the Neptune property in a red 1971 Pontiac GTO. He wore military-style clothing, including an Army jacket and khaki garments. From the trunk of the car, he removed a .308-caliber semiautomatic rifle, multiple pistols and ammunition.
Many employees were arriving for work or gathering inside the building before beginning their assignments. Cowan entered the complex and began shooting at workers on the first floor. He moved through the cafeteria, office areas and warehouse spaces, firing repeatedly as terrified employees attempted to flee, hide behind equipment or take cover in rooms throughout the building.
Among the first people confronted were longtime employees who had arrived early for work. Cowan shot Joseph Hicks and Frederick Holmes before moving farther into the building. He also shot electrician Pariyarathu Varghese, who had reportedly been employed by Neptune for only a short time.
In the cafeteria, Cowan fired into an area where workers had gathered before the start of the workday. James Green was killed, and 24-year-old Joseph Russo suffered severe wounds to his chest and abdomen. Russo survived the initial attack but remained hospitalized and later died from his injuries.
The Killing of Officer Allen McLeod
New Rochelle police received emergency reports of gunfire at the Neptune building and immediately dispatched officers. Officer Allen B. McLeod was among the first to arrive. McLeod, a 29-year-old married father of two, approached the scene while Cowan was positioned inside the building.
Cowan fired at the responding officers, fatally striking McLeod. Other officers were also wounded as they attempted to reach the building and determine where the gunman was located. The shooting of McLeod transformed the workplace attack into a major police emergency and made it clear that Cowan intended to resist capture.
Officers pulled back and established a perimeter around the warehouse. Additional police departments, tactical officers, emergency personnel and sharpshooters were called to New Rochelle. Authorities initially feared that Cowan might have hostages or explosives inside the building.
Victims of the Massacre
- Joseph Hicks, 60 — An employee of Neptune Worldwide Moving Company. Hicks was shot and killed inside the company’s office and warehouse complex on Nardozzi Place in New Rochelle on February 14, 1977.
- Frederick Holmes, 55 — A Neptune employee who was shot during the opening portion of the attack on February 14, 1977. He died at the workplace.
- James Green, 45 — A Neptune employee who was killed when Cowan opened fire inside the building on February 14, 1977.
- Pariyarathu Varghese, 32 — An electrician and recent employee of the company. Varghese, who had immigrated from India, was shot and killed at the Neptune facility on February 14, 1977.
- Officer Allen B. McLeod, 29 — A New Rochelle police officer who was fatally shot while responding to the gunfire at the Neptune property on February 14, 1977.
- Joseph Antonino Russo, 24 — A mover’s helper who was shot in the cafeteria on February 14, 1977. Russo was taken to New Rochelle Hospital and remained seriously wounded for approximately six weeks. He died from complications of his gunshot wounds on April 1, 1977.
The Siege at the Warehouse
After the initial killings, Cowan moved to the second floor and used the building as a fortified position. He fired from windows toward police officers and people outside. Several officers and civilians were wounded during the confrontation.
Employees remained hidden throughout the complex. Some concealed themselves behind furniture, inside storage areas or beneath desks. Because the structure was large and divided into offices, corridors and warehouse sections, police could not immediately determine how many people were still trapped inside or whether Cowan was holding anyone against their will.
Approximately 300 law-enforcement officers eventually surrounded the property. Two police helicopters were reportedly used during the operation. Streets near the warehouse were blocked, nearby businesses were affected and residents followed news reports as the confrontation continued through the day.
Cowan telephoned police headquarters during the siege. In one conversation, he reportedly asked for potato salad and cocoa. He also made statements suggesting that he possessed grenades and enough weapons and ammunition to continue fighting for an extended period. Police later determined that he did not have hostages or functioning hand grenades inside the building, but officers had no way of knowing that while the siege was underway.
Weapons Used in the Attack
Cowan’s primary weapon was a .308-caliber SACO HK-41 semiautomatic rifle. He also carried four semiautomatic handguns, including two .45-caliber Colt M1911 pistols, a 9mm Browning Hi-Power and a 9mm Walther P38. He brought a substantial amount of ammunition and reportedly fired more than 100 rounds during the massacre and siege.
The combination of Cowan’s military experience, familiarity with guns and elevated firing position made it extremely dangerous for officers to approach. Authorities treated every movement around the building as a potential target for rifle fire.
Death of Fred Cowan
The last gunshot believed to have been fired by Cowan was heard at approximately 2:30 p.m. Police did not immediately enter because they remained concerned about possible hostages, explosives and additional attacks. Tactical officers gradually advanced through the building after darkness began to fall.
Cowan was found dead on the second floor with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He had used one of his handguns to take his own life. Although the active shooting had ended hours earlier, the uncertainty surrounding his condition caused the police operation to continue into the evening.
Employees who had remained hidden were eventually discovered and escorted to safety. The attack had lasted only minutes in its most lethal stage, but the resulting siege and search of the warehouse continued for much of Valentine’s Day.
Joseph Russo’s Death
Joseph Russo was among those critically wounded during Cowan’s attack on the cafeteria. He suffered gunshot injuries to his chest and abdomen and was transported to New Rochelle Hospital. Doctors treated him for several weeks, but his condition remained grave.
Russo died on April 1, 1977, approximately six weeks after the shooting. His death increased the number of murder victims from five to six. Including Cowan, seven people died as a result of the events that began at the Neptune warehouse on February 14.
Motive and Ideological Hatred
Cowan’s immediate grievance appears to have been his suspension from Neptune and his anger toward supervisor Norman Bing. However, the attack was also inseparable from Cowan’s extremist worldview. He had repeatedly expressed hatred toward Black people and Jewish people, and several of those he murdered belonged to racial or ethnic groups he had openly condemned.
Authorities found Nazi memorabilia among Cowan’s belongings and learned that he had associated himself with white-supremacist ideas. Reports also connected him to a militant racist organization, although the massacre itself was carried out by Cowan alone.
The shooting was therefore viewed as both an act of workplace revenge and an eruption of racial and antisemitic violence. Cowan did not leave a detailed public explanation that accounted for every person he targeted, but his statements, behavior and choice of intended victim demonstrated that prejudice was a central part of his thinking.
Warnings Before the Massacre
After the killings, questions were raised about whether Cowan’s violence could have been anticipated. People who knew him described previous threats, his fascination with weapons and his aggressive racist statements. One woman said she had earlier complained that Cowan threatened her with a firearm, leading to an inquiry into how New Rochelle authorities handled the report.
Investigations were conducted into whether police had received sufficient warning and whether officials had responded appropriately. The reviews produced disagreement over the accuracy of the earlier complaint and whether Cowan had specifically threatened the woman with a gun. No evidence established that authorities knew he was preparing the Neptune attack.
Community Reaction
The killings deeply affected New Rochelle and the employees of Neptune Worldwide Moving Company. Survivors returned to a workplace marked by bullet damage, bloodshed and the memory of coworkers who had been killed without warning. Many struggled with fear, grief and the knowledge that ordinary routines had placed them directly in Cowan’s path.
Officer Allen McLeod’s funeral drew an estimated 3,500 police officers representing more than 60 departments. His death was mourned throughout Westchester County, and he was remembered as an officer who lost his life responding to people in immediate danger.
The families of the civilian victims were left to cope with equally profound losses. Several victims had spouses, children and relatives who expected them to return home after an ordinary Monday at work. Instead, Valentine’s Day became permanently associated with the massacre.
Aftermath and Legacy
The Neptune Worldwide Moving Company continued operating for several years but eventually closed. The original industrial complex was later demolished, and the area was redeveloped. With the physical building gone, much of the wider public gradually forgot the massacre, although it remained an important and painful part of New Rochelle’s history.
The shooting occurred before the term “workplace mass shooting” became common in American public discussion. Cowan’s attack nevertheless displayed many features later associated with such crimes: a disgruntled employee, a disciplinary grievance, access to multiple firearms, warning signs of violent hostility and a decision to attack coworkers and responding police.
In 2018, New Rochelle formally honored Officer Allen B. McLeod by naming a street Police Officer Allen B. McLeod Way. The dedication ensured that his sacrifice would remain visible in the community where he served.
Fred Cowan’s 1977 massacre ended with six innocent people dead, four others wounded and an entire workplace traumatized. His intended act of revenge expanded into a racist and antisemitic rampage against people who had little or nothing to do with his suspension. The tragedy remains a stark example of how personal resentment, extremist hatred and unrestricted access to powerful weapons can combine with devastating consequences.
