1977 New Rochelle shooting

Fatal workplace mass shooting December 2025 April 2025 1977 New Rochelle shooting New Rochelle, New York, United States People at the Neptune Worldwide Moving Company, mainly supervisor Norman Bing 40 53 56.8 N 73 47 32.9 W February 14, 1977 7:45a.m. 2:40p.m. EST Mass shooting, workplace violence, siege 7 (including the perpetrator and a victim who died weeks later) 4 Joseph Hicks, Frederick Holmes, James Green, Pariyarathu Varghese, Joseph Russo and Allen McLeod Frederick Cowan .308 SACO HK-41 semi-automatic riflehttps://www.crimelibrary.org/notorious_murders/mass/neptune/index_1.html The Neptune Murders crimelibrary.org Four semi-automatic handguns: Two .45-caliber Colt M1911s 9mm Browning Hi-Power 9mm Walther P38https://www.nytimes.com/1977/02/15/archives/nazi-admirer-also-wounds-5-in-wild-attack-followed-by-a-siege-at.html Nazi Admirer Also Wounds 5 in Wild Attack Followed by a Siege at Moving Company The New York Times February 15, 1977https://medium.com/@criminaljusticechris/the-1977-valentines-day-massacre-the-forgotten-siege-by-mass-shooter-fred-cowan-at-neptune-b5bacccbe5ff The 1977 Valentine’s Day Massacre: The Forgotten Siege by Mass Shooter Fred Cowan at Neptune Worldwide Moving Company medium.com June 10, 2025 Nazism and revenge On February 14, 1977, a suspended worker of the Neptune Worldwide Moving Company entered the office and warehouse complex and opened fire, killing six people and injuring four others before killing himself in a 10-hour long siege. Five people were pronounced dead at the scene, while an injured victim died six weeks after the shooting. Background November 2025 The Neptune Worldwide Moving Company was created in 1898 and grew rapidly.White David F. February 27, 1977 Story of Neptune—Company in Trauma https://www.nytimes.com/1977/02/27/archives/story-of-neptune-company-in-trauma.html April 8, 2025 The New York Times en Shooting Cowan dressed up in an army jacket, a khaki shirt and khaki slacks. He arrived at 7:45a.m. and took several fully loaded weapons and ammunition out of the trunk of his red 1971 Pontiac GTO Coupe.https://time.com/archive/6852481/crime-season-of-savagery-and-rage/ CRIME: Season of Savagery and Rage TIME February 28, 1977 He then walked in looking for his supervisor Norman Bing who previously had him suspended from work. Cowan than fatally shot the first three people he encountered. He then moved to the second floor and killed another person. The first officer arrived at the scene within ten minutes of the first shot being fired but was killed by Cowan upon arrival. Cowan also shot and wounded three other officers that arrived and two civilians on the street out of a second-floor window.Schmetterer Jerry Andrews Mark February 15, 1977 Neptune murderer, Frederick Cowan, kills fives then himself in 1977 https://www.nydailynews.com/2017/02/15/neptune-murderer-frederick-cowan-kills-fives-then-himself-in-1977/ April 8, 2025 New York Daily News en By noon, Cowan was surrounded by 300 officers and two police helicopters. He reportedly called the New Rochelle Police headquarters at 12:30 and asked for a potato salad and cocoa. He also apologized for the shooting. He shot himself approximately two hours later at 2:23p.m. with one of the pistols. Police, unsure whether he had any hostages, waited until dusk to enter the building and later at night to remove the shooters body due to the possibility of him having hand grenades after he reportedly told the police on another phone call that he had plenty grenades and enough guns and ammunition to last him a whole day. The police later confirmed he had no hostages or hand grenades. They found multiple employees still hiding from the gunman by night time.September 8, 1977 Officer Contradicts Woman's Testimony In Hearing on Cowan https://www.nytimes.com/1977/09/08/archives/officer-contradicts-womans-testimony-in-hearing-on-cowan.html April 8, 2025 The New York Times en Perpetrator The perpetrator was identified as 33-year-old Frederick William Cowan. He fired over 100 shots during the shooting. Cowan was suspended from work after he was allegedly being rude to customers and had carried out the shooting in revenge for his suspension targeting his Jewish supervisor Norman Bing who had him suspended from work. Cowan was a United States Army veteran and World Body-Building League member. Cowan hated black and Jewish people, and admired Nazi's.Schumach Murray February 15, 1977 Cowan Was 'Nice Man' to Some in New Rochelle, But to Others 'Real Prejudiced' Backer of Nazis https://www.nytimes.com/1977/02/15/archives/cowan-was-nice-man-to-some-in-new-rochelle-but-to-others-real.html April 8, 2025 The New York Times en He collected Nazi paraphernalia at home, saying he was the second Adolf Hitler. Cowan had tattoos of swastikas and iron crosses. He also collected firearms and grenades. Aftermath Four decades after the shooting in February 2018, the city of New Rochelle proposed to name a street "Police Officer Allen B. McLeod Way" in honour of officer Allen B. McLeod who was killed in the shooting.Tantillo Nicholas February 22, 2018 New Rochelle wants to honor officer killed in 1977 Valentine's Day massacre https://www.lohud.com/story/news/2018/02/22/officer-honored-new-rochelle/348180002/ April 8, 2025 The Journal News en The street was named in May.[ARCHIVED] Nardozzi Place Named for P.O. Allen B. McLeod https://www.newrochelleny.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1502&ARC=2393 April 8, 2025 City of New Rochelle, NY en Reactions About 3,500 policemen representing at least 62 police departments gathered at the church officer Allen B. McLeod's funeral was at, officials estimated, to pay their last respects.White David F. February 18, 1977 Policeman killed by cultist buried https://www.nytimes.com/1977/02/18/archives/policeman-killed-by-cultist-buried-rites-for-officer-allen-mcleod.html April 8, 2025 The New York Times en References Category:1977 crimes in the United States Category:1977 mass shootings in the United States Category:1977 murders in the United States Category:1977 in New York (state) Category:February 1977 in the United States Category:1970s mass murders in the United States Category:Attacks on buildings and structures in 1977 Category:Massacres in 1977 Category:Massacres in the United States Category:Mass shootings in New York (state) Category:Neo-Nazism in the United States Category:History of New Rochelle, New York Category:Anti-black racism in New York (state) Category:Antisemitic attacks and incidents in New York (state) Category:Workplace shootings in the United States