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Photographs January 8, 1973: United Press International
 

More than thirty years ago an embittered Black supremacist, Mark James Robert Essex, who had been recently involuntarily discharged from the Navy, terrorized New Orleans and holed up in the Downtown Howard Johnson's for nearly ten hours killing several people while laying waste to much of the 17 story Motor Lodge.

The reign of terror actually began December 31, 1972 when Essex attacked police headquarters and killed an unarmed police cadet. Not long after shooting up the police station he struck again, and shot an officer investigating another crime who later died. Next on January 1, 1973, he set fire to a downtown warehouse that turned into a huge blaze that burned for five days. But the worst was yet to come.

Shortly after 10:00 a.m. on January 7, 1973, Essex began his final murderous rampage by shooting a grocer, and confessed to his next victim that he was only out to kill "just honkies." In a stolen car he was chased into the Howard Johnson's parking garage. Essex made his way through the Motor Lodge setting off firecrackers, starting fires with phone books, and shooting innocent people. Among the murdered were four Motor Lodge guests, the general manager of the hotel, the assistant manager, and several police officers. Finally at 9:00 p.m. local law enforcement, with the assistance of the Marines, gunned Essex down with a barrage of more than 200 bullets on the roof of the Howard Johnson's, ending one of the more brutal episodes of terrorism in our Nation's history.

 
 
 
 

The early 1970's were marked by domestic unrest--even terrorism here in the United States. The photos on this page are from an incident that occurred at the New Orleans-Downtown Howard Johnson's in January of 1973. Officials initially believed that a nest of snipers had taken up residence on the top floors of the Motor Lodge. Marines were called in, and used a helicopter in an attempt to kill the sniper(s). Several people were killed, 20 wounded, and over 1 million dollars in property damage was wreaked by only one man, seen dead on the roof in the photo below.
 
 
 
 

For more information:
Read The Terrible Thunder by Peter Hearn
Read Chuck Hustmyre's account published in Court TV's Crime Library
See the Stanley Davis film: "Mata: the Mark Essex Story"
 
 
 
 
April 14, 2004
 
 

While on break from a seminar about Homeland Security and Disaster Preparedness sponsored by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation on April 14, 2004 at the New Orleans Hyatt Regency, I walked over and snapped a few pictures of the former Motor Lodge.

Few of us attending the all day meeting which focused on protecting "critical infrastructure" could have imagined the complete breakdown of New Orleans' infrastructure after hurricane Katrina swept by the Crescent City. In the face of natural disaster, a breakdown of civilization ensued...Like everything else in the city, the former Downtown Howard Johnson's that had suffered so much back in 1973 was put out of commission once again. Lessons that should have been learned from the chaos caused by the Essex terrorist incident concerning the need for clear and concise command and control as well as the need for backup communication technology for the police were lessons unheeded.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
August 31, 2005: Satellite view (detail showing the flooded former HoJo's)
 
 
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