Henry J. Koebel was 27 and serving as a Port Authority Police Officer when he was killed at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan on Friday, May 26, 1978. Earlier that day he had removed a homeless man from the terminal for harassing people; about an hour later the same man returned and again began disturbing patrons waiting to buy bus tickets. Koebel confronted the man and attempted to place him under arrest, and a struggle followed. During the struggle the man gained control of Koebel’s service weapon and fired three shots, killing the officer.

The suspect tried to flee through the busy terminal still armed. Other Port Authority officers responded to the gunfire, pursued the suspect, and shot and killed him at the scene. Koebel was survived by his wife.