Police Officer Nicola Diane Cotton

Nicola Diane Cotton

Officer Nicola Cotton was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a rape suspect in a parking lot off of Earhart Boulevard.

As she attempted to put a handcuff on the man, who was twice her size, he pulled away and began to struggle. During the struggle she lost control of her radio, but was able to recover it and called for assistance. As the struggle continued the suspect gained control of Officer Cotton's baton, and struck her with it. He was then able to gain control of her duty weapon and shot her fifteen times.

Responding units arrived at the scene approximately two minutes after Officer Cotton was shot and located the suspect still holding her service weapon. He was taken into custody by the responding officers.

On September 30, 2010, the suspect, who had a history of paranoid schizophrenia, was determined to be mentally incompetent and committed at a state mental hospital in Jackson.

Officer Cotton had served with the New Orleans Police Department for two years and was eight weeks pregnant at the time of her murder.