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Paul A. Persigo
Agency patch
Patrolman

Paul A. Persigo

New Orleans Police Department — New Orleans, LA
Felonious
United States flag Louisiana flag
End of Watch January 7, 1973
Age 33
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
The Vigil Panel 111 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 127

Incident

Patrolman Paul Persigo, Patrolman Philip Coleman, and Deputy Superintendent Louis Sirgo were shot and killed by a sniper who had shot several civilians and set fires at a local hotel. Patrolman Persigo was shot as he attempted to clear civilians from the front of the hotel. 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. Patrolman Persigo had served with the New Orleans Police Department for six years. He was survived by his wife and three children. 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 three children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Persigo gave the New Orleans Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the New Orleans community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Persigo.

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

Agency

Department New Orleans Police Department
Type Police Department
Location New Orleans, Orleans Parish, LA
Platform Identity nopd.orleans.la.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 7, 1973
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
Age 33
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Paul is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  3. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1973, 171 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 17th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Paul was 33. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Paul had served 6 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

January holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was rifle, in 5.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

New Orleans Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Paul among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman Paul A. Persigo

New Orleans Police Department · End of Watch January 7, 1973

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 55-W

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