When

September 4, 2005 8:34 PM

New Orleans police shot and killed at least five people after gunmen opened fire on a group of contractors travelling across a bridge on their way to make repairs, authorities said. Deputy Police Chief WJ Riley said police shot at eight people carrying guns, killing five or six. Problem is, the people they shot were Army Corps of Engineers contractors.
posted by jmgorman (29 comments total)

I saw the “shot five or six” story on NYT a while ago, now it’s gone. My wife caught this one - has anyone seen anything else?
posted by jmgorman at 8:35 PM on September 4, 2005

Crap, the links were working, I swear.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20050904/D8CDO9OG0.html

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/Hurricane_Katrina/0,,2-10-1942_1765151,00.html

Sorry.
posted by jmgorman at 8:36 PM on September 4, 2005

I read/saw on CNN that the AP retracted that part about the Army Corps -- they're now saying a group of contractors were fired upon by "unknown gunmen," and that police fired back.
posted by youarejustalittleant at 8:39 PM on September 4, 2005

Oops.
posted by thirteenkiller at 8:40 PM on September 4, 2005

The story is in error.

Police shot and killed at least five people Sunday after gunmen opened fire on contractors crossing a bridge to make levee repairs, The Associated Press reported.

"Initial AP reports had wrongly indicated that the contractors themselves were shot by police."
posted by Brian James at 8:40 PM on September 4, 2005

Gunman fired on the Corps contracters, and NOPD fired upon, and killed, those gunman. The contracters weren't the ones killed.

[Source]
posted by kickingtheground at 8:42 PM on September 4, 2005

You know, those cops have probably been on the job for the last week in the most horrific conditions possible with the same lack of food and water as the rest of New Orleans. That, and most if not all of them probably lost homes/family members too. Somebody should probably try to give them a relief of duty for a bit.
posted by Stan Chin at 8:43 PM on September 4, 2005

Speaking of New Orleans police, the news reports say that at least two officers have committed suicide and 1/3 of the force has abandoned their jobs.
posted by Serena at 8:44 PM on September 4, 2005

I wonder if the future will look back at this as the Battle of New Orleans...
posted by nightchrome at 8:47 PM on September 4, 2005

It's a tragedy either way.
posted by zoogleplex at 8:47 PM on September 4, 2005

Geez, somebody close that tag...
posted by zoogleplex at 8:48 PM on September 4, 2005

Has anyone seen any articles about who all these people shooting are? Gang members? Drug addicts?
posted by longdaysjourney at 8:56 PM on September 4, 2005

This thread is all kinds of fucked up.
posted by cribcage at 8:56 PM on September 4, 2005

I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 8:59 PM on September 4, 2005

Excellent.
posted by uncanny hengeman at 9:00 PM on September 4, 2005

Fuck New Orleans.
posted by Debaser626 at 9:01 PM on September 4, 2005

I'd really like to know who is doing the shooting... it confuses the hell out of me.
posted by mosch at 9:01 PM on September 4, 2005

"I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy."

This is not funny.
posted by McSly at 9:01 PM on September 4, 2005

"I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy."

This is not funny.


Shut the fuck up... yes it is... and I want my 5 dollars back...
posted by Debaser626 at 9:02 PM on September 4, 2005

The more of them that shoot eachother.. the better off we are as a whole...
posted by Debaser626 at 9:03 PM on September 4, 2005

I want my 5 dollars back...

I'll give you $10 to leave forever.
posted by Miko at 9:05 PM on September 4, 2005

The more of them that shoot eachother.. the better off we are as a whole...
posted by Debaser626 at 9:03 PM PST on September 4 [!]


WTF is that supposed to mean? What 'them' are you refering?
Are the same 'we' farther on in the sentance?
posted by Balisong at 9:09 PM on September 4, 2005

Train wreck. Ouch.
posted by erebora at 9:14 PM on September 4, 2005

It seems we are having a collective overdose on NO. It's time to take a break.
posted by McSly at 9:14 PM on September 4, 2005

this doesn't seem very useful to me
posted by pyramid termite at 9:27 PM on September 4, 2005

> Police shot and killed at least five people Sunday after gunmen opened fire on contractors crossing a bridge to make levee repairs, The Associated Press reported.

Deputy Police Chief W.J. Riley told AP that police shot at eight people who had guns, killing five or six.

The incident came as the growing number of authorities attempted to regain control of the flooded city after days of violence and looting that interfered with rescue and recovery efforts.

The Army Corps of Engineers told AP that 14 contractors escorted by police were fired upon while crossing the Danziger Bridge, which spans a canal connecting Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi River.

Corps spokesman John Hall told AP the contractors were on their way to launch barges into Lake Pontchartrain to help fix a breach in the 17th Street Canal.

Initial AP reports had wrongly indicated that the contractors themselves were shot by police.

The latest as of Sunday night. It's still a pretty bizarre story. Did the ACE guys have jackworthy equipment? If it were some of the "combat operations" guys, would they have been dubbed "insurgents"?

The Danziger Bridge is a massive lift bridge. My only guess here is that these gunmen didn't melt away -- the most logical tactic -- because they were "occupying" the bridge piers for unknown reasons.
posted by dhartung at 9:31 PM on September 4, 2005

What a novel idea. I wonder if the people living in their unventilated attics surrounded by water feel the same way...

Well for god's sake man, make another post about this! We haven't much time!!!
posted by Stauf at 9:32 PM on September 4, 2005

Metafilter does not = the world, odinsdream.
(not that the rest of the world doesn't have other problems besides this one, but I digress)
posted by Stauf at 9:44 PM on September 4, 2005