Police Officer Mark Joseph Ellis

Police Officer Mark Joseph Ellis

New York City Police Department, New York

End of Watch Tuesday, September 11, 2001

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Mark Joseph Ellis

Officer Mark Ellis was killed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks while attempting to rescue the victims trapped in the World Trade Center.

He was assigned to Transit District 4.
Officer Ellis had served with the New York City Police Department for four years, and is survived by his parents and a sister.

He was posthumously awarded the New York City Police Department's Medal of Honor for his heroic actions.


The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

On the morning of September 11th, 2001, seventy-two officers from a total of eight local, state, and federal agencies were killed when terrorist hijackers working for the al Qaeda terrorist network, headed by Osama bin Laden, crashed four hijacked planes into the World Trade Center towers in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

After the impact of the first plane into the World Trade Center's North Tower, putting the safety of others before their own, law enforcement officers along with fire and EMS personnel, rushed to the burning Twin Towers of the World Trade Center to aid the victims and lead them to safety. Due to their quick actions, it is estimated that over 25,000 people were saved.

As the evacuation continued, the South Tower unexpectedly collapsed as a result of the intense fire caused by the impact. The North Tower collapsed a short time later. Seventy-two law enforcement officers, 343 members of the New York City Fire Department, and over 2,800 civilians were killed at the World Trade Center site on 9/11.

A third hijacked plane crashed into a field in rural Pennsylvania when the passengers attempted to re-take control of the plane. One law enforcement officer, who was a passenger on the plane, was killed in that crash.

The fourth hijacked plane was crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, killing almost 200 military and civilian personnel. No law enforcement officers were killed at the Pentagon on 9/11.

The terrorist attacks resulted in the declaration of war against the Taliban regime, the illegal rulers of Afghanistan, and the al Qaeda terrorist network which also was based in Afghanistan.

On September 9th, 2005, all of the public safety officers killed on September 11th, 2001, were posthumously awarded the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor by President George W. Bush.

The contamination in the air at the World Trade Center site caused many rescue personnel to become extremely ill and eventually led to the death of several rescue workers.

On May 1st, 2011, members of the United States military conducted a raid on a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and killed Osama bin Laden.

Please click here to visit the memorials of all of the law enforcement officers who have died as a result of the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks.

Bio

  • Age 26
  • Tour 4 years
  • Badge 11441

Incident Details

  • Cause Terrorist attack
  • Weapon Aircraft; Passenger jet
  • Offender 19 suicide attackers

Most Recent Reflection

View all 79 Reflections

When I first heard the name Mark Ellis as a victim of the attack on our beautiful country, it struck a chord. I was in NY in 2005. There was still signs of the attack almost 4 years later. Mark Ellis still rung in my head. My older brother was Mark J Ellis but his J stands for James. Mark was one of the 4 Ellis children. 3 girls and our Mark. Mark was the best of the four of us. Mark lost his battle with cancer in 2018. He was only 57. I think of Mark Joseph losing his life at 26. I thought of our Mark every time the 9/11 day approaches because I will hear Mark Joseph Ellis' name read. It has became even more painful since we lost our Mark on July 10, 2018. Although our Mark did not perish in a brutal attack, it still is a huge loss to lose my only brother. I noticed that Mark has a sister. She knows the pain of losing a sibling as I do. I always felt an unknown kinship to his family because of the name. I can only hope that maybe they see this one day. My deepest sympathy to the family of Mark Joseph Ellis as the 20th anniversary just passed. I will continue to think of their Mark as I do mine. God Bless the Ellis family. RIP in peace Mark Joseph Ellis. Never forget.

Nancy Ellis
Civilian

October 6, 2021

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