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Marine stole a Helicopter to save the city from a Sniper!
Mark Essex went on an eight-day killing spree after learning about two African—Americans who had been shot by East Baton Rouge Parish Sherriff deputies during a campus demonstration at Southern University. Essex had a bad experience in the Navy which inspired his killing spree. Essex shot a grocery store clerk then stole his car and drove to Howard Johnson where he shot a white couple who was on their honeymoon. When Colonel Pitman learned about Essex terrorizing the streets of New Orleans, he took a CH—46 which was a helicopter used to transport cargo. Colonel Pitman landed the helicopter in a vacant parking lot by the motel so police could get in the military helicopter. Colonel Pitman flew over the Howard Johson a few times where Essex barricaded himself behind a wall. After a few hours of flying around the Military helicopter that was carrying the cops who were exchanging with the insane sniper. After a few hours of gunfighting, they finally shot and killed Essex.
During Essex’s killing spree, he killed 12 people over seven days. Colonel Pitman almost got a court martial for taking the helicopter without proper military approval, but a New Orleans representative Edward…
