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Home Front: Culture Wars
6 Killings Prompt Nagin's Call For National Guard
2006-06-21
Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco said Monday she's sending National Guard troops to help patrol the streets of New Orleans after a request made by Mayor Ray Nagin following six weekend deaths in the storm-damaged city. Nagin made the request earlier Monday.

Outraged New Orleans city leaders also called for state police help after a special meeting to address the killings in an area near the central business district. Detectives are knocking on doors and looking for anyone with information on the killings. Five teenagers were gunned down in a blaze of semiautomatic fire early Saturday. Police said drugs or revenge are possible motives in the teens' deaths. A was man was stabbed to death in an argument over beer on Sunday. Capt. John Bryson said police have no new leads to the killers, and are "begging citizens" who may have information to call Crimestoppers.

City Council members are promising swift action against violence as the city tries to repair itself after Hurricane Katrina. Councilman Oliver Thomas said rising crime could slow both residents' return home and the return of tourism -- the city's biggest business before the hurricane.

John Gagliano, chief investigator for the Orleans Parish coroner, identified the dead to The Times- Picayune newspaper as Reggie Dantzler, Iruan Taylor and Marquis Hunter, all 19 years old; 16-year-old Arsenio Hunter, and 17-year-old Warren Simoen, all of New Orleans. Bryson said none of the victims had any convictions, and police cannot comment on whether a victim had any other police record.

National Guard troops roll into New Orleans
Posted by:Fred

#13  Quote:
"The festival of inefficiency and ineptitude has finally ended, but only because now the government has stopped doing anything at all,"

Neat..sums up New Orleans..
Posted by: crazyhorse   2006-06-21 23:48  

#12  Ya know, I wasn't going to bring this up, but I think it's related. I was on the gulf coast recently for two weeks. In Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, etc, they are rapidly rebuilding. In many areas that looked like an Atomic Bomb went off just a few months ago, they now show no signs of the hurricane at all. Debris is cleaned up. Infrastructure is being rapidly repaired, etc.
Then I went to New orleans. Huge seething piles of garbage and debris are everywhere. Many residents have returned, but sit amidst the ruins instead of doing anything about them. The main attitude I saw was not one of banding together, putting the gloves on, and trying to clean up the mess. No, it was blame the government time. Many other affected areas got very little government assistance, yet they are doing the work on their own, sometimes for 12 to 16 hours a day.

The mentality of most New Orleans residents is something I cannot understand. What is it? Just sit around, point fingers at the gummint, and on Saturday night, go out and kill a few folks? I don't believe the problem is poverty. Many of the areas that I saw repaired had been predominantly 'poor'. They were poor, but not lazy.

New Orleans, get off your ass. Clean up the mess.
Posted by: mcsegeek1   2006-06-21 16:25  

#11  Me thinks perhaps Nagin will be looking for more [federal or state] funding to 'combat' the problem.
Posted by: CrazyFool   2006-06-21 15:53  

#10  Steve, that's correct. I was in a rush and should have explained my comment. My understanding is that the NG is going to patrol other areas of the City to free up the NOPD to cover Central City and a couple of other hot spots.
Posted by: Matt   2006-06-21 13:42  

#9  No, the shooting was not in the central business district.


Matt, you're right. Another story I read said that's where it was. I went to NOLA.com and found the correct location.

Of this year's 54 murders, 14 have taken place in Central City, a triangle-shaped area bounded by Louisiana Avenue, Earhart Boulevard and St. Charles Avenue.
Posted by: Steve   2006-06-21 13:30  

#8  Ed, I do hope there is an exit strategy, as well as a timeline for pulling our troops out. I wish that Gen. Honore could be in charge of this "exercise." Also, we do need to think ahead of the outcry when the Guard actually shoots someone down there. It'll be BDS all over, but ignoring the fact that the Mayor (Democrat) asked for it and the Governor (Democrat) answered.
Posted by: BA   2006-06-21 12:43  

#7  What's the exit strategy?
Posted by: ed   2006-06-21 09:19  

#6  The WHOLE STATE is OUT OF CONTROL!!!

Well, I didn't notice any shootings in my apartment complex last night. We have been arguing about aluminum alloy selection at work, though, if you feel like reaching.
Posted by: Phil   2006-06-21 09:12  

#5  #2 - No, the shooting was not in the central business district.
Posted by: Matt   2006-06-21 09:00  

#4  Bryson said none of the victims had any convictions.....

.... and were all members of the same canasta club.
Posted by: Besoeker   2006-06-21 08:37  

#3  The WHOLE STATE is OUT OF CONTROL!!!
Posted by: ARMYGUY   2006-06-21 08:34  

#2  So, 5 people killed at once. Is that really a Nation Guard situation?

Not if you had an effective police department. I'll wager what sent Ray into a panic was that this shooting took place in the Central Business District. Had it been out in one of the "depressed neighborhoods" it wouldn't have been as big a story.
Posted by: Steve   2006-06-21 08:08  

#1  Interesting...

5 people gunned down, drugs or "revenge" (heh) suspected. Ignore the other killing since it's just your typical alcohol event.

So, 5 people killed at once.

Is that really a Nation Guard situation?

It is if your Po-Leece Dept is probably deeply involved.

They did say drugs, right?
Posted by: Ulusing Cleash5738   2006-06-21 05:11  

00:00