Louisiana Governor Issues 'Shoot to Loot' Order; National Guard Deployed Against Survivors

Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco stated that National Guard troops arriving in New Orleans were locked and loaded and authorized to 'shoot and kill' looters. The order framed Black survivors — many desperately seeking food, water, and medicine — as a criminal threat. Media coverage widely depicted Black survivors as 'looters' while describing white survivors in identical situations as 'finding' supplies.