Storm Warning

Outside the Superdome, chaos ruled. Looters ransacked with impunity. Armed gangs robbed and raped and killed. Rescue helicopters were shot at. Police were photographed and videotaped joining in the looting. Hundreds of police went AWOL or quit outright. Mayor Nagin bizarrely claimed they needed a five-day all-expenses-paid Las Vegas vacation to cope with the stress.

Meanwhile, reports began to emerge of armed citizens warning off looters, repelling roving gangs, firing warning shots, and taking responsibility for their own protection where the police clearly could or would not.

"Storm Warning" is my Rights Watch column for the Dec. 2005 issue of GUNS Magazine. This has actually been posted on their website for the past month, but for some reason it wasn't linked from the main page, so I didn't realize it and announce it here.

It was written as reports were coming fast and furious across news desks, so when the smoke cleared a month after it was published, I felt compelled to send the editor the following clarification for publication in a later issue:

"Storm Warning" (my December “Rights Watch column) referenced incidents of Superdome violence reported in the media that have subsequently been determined to be exaggerated. The article was written in the midst of the disaster and used information available at the time. Note the article was also submitted before the reported gun confiscations and NRA/SAF legal action to halt firearms seizures.--David Codrea