Louis Joseph Sirgo

New Orleans Police Department — New Orleans, LA

Felonious Veteran →

End of Watch January 7, 1973

Age 48

Tour of Duty 21 yrs

The Vigil Panel 111 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 127

Incident

Deputy Superintendent Louis Sirgo, Patrolman Philip Coleman, and Patrolman Paul Persigo were shot and killed by a sniper who had shot several civilians and set fire to a local hotel. Superintendent Sirgo was shot as he led a team of officers up a dark stairwell to try to rescue two other officers who were trapped in an elevator. The suspect was hiding in the stairwell and opened fire on the officers. 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. Superindentent Sirgo was a United States Army WWII Army veteran and served with the New Orleans Police Department for 21 years. He was survived by his wife and daughter. He is buried at Greenwood Cemetery, New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. The Black Panther Party was a black nationalist and Marxist revolutionary political and militant organization active in the United States between 1966 and 1982. Members and former members of the group were responsible for the murders of over 20 law enforcement officers and the wounding of dozens more across the nation. Please click here to visit all the law enforcement officers who have died as a result of the Black Panther Party's violent activism.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-LA-9A031F46
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Deputy Superintendent Sirgo gave the New Orleans Police Department 21 years.
Thank you for your service to the New Orleans community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department New Orleans Police Department

Location New Orleans, LA

Platform Identity nopd.orleans.la.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 7, 1973

Tour of Duty 21 yrs

Age 48

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle; .44 caliber

Offender Shot and killed

Military Service

Louis Joseph Sirgo served in the Other (1943) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Deputy Superintendent Louis Joseph Sirgo is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In LA, 364 of 595 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.2% of this state's fallen. That is 7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At New Orleans Police Department, 86 of 128 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 67.2% of this agency's fallen.

New Orleans Police Department

of 128 officers

67.2% Felonious

LA — Statewide

364

of 595 officers

61.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious