Leslie Coffelt, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Leslie Coffelt

American murder victim

Date of Birth: 15-Aug-1910

Place of Birth: Oranda, Virginia, Virginia, United States

Date of Death: 01-Nov-1950

Profession: Secret Service agent

Nationality: United States

Zodiac Sign: Leo

Leslie William "Les" Coffelt (August 15, 1910 – November 1, 1950) was an officer of the White House Police, who was killed while successfully defending U.S.
President Harry S.
Truman against an armed attack on November 1, 1950, at Blair House, where the president was living during renovations at the White House. Coffelt was wounded during the assassination attempt, which two Puerto Rican nationalists carried out.
Though mortally wounded by three bullets, Coffelt returned fire moments later and killed one of the attackers with a single shot to the head.
The other was convicted by a federal jury and sentenced to death; Truman commuted the sentence to life imprisonment and the man was released from jail in 1979. Acknowledging the importance of the question of Puerto Rico's status, Truman authorized a referendum in Puerto Rico in 1952 to determine its relationship to the U.S.