Lilypad
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Acting at the mayor's request, Gov. Kathleen Blanco said Monday she would send National Guard troops and state police to patrol the streets of New Orleans after a bloody weekend in which 6 people were killed.
"The situation is urgent," Blanco said. "Things like this should never happen, and I am going to do all I can to stop it."
One hundred National Guardsmen with law enforcement experience and 60 state police officers were to be sent to the city Tuesday. Up to 200 more troops would be deployed after that, said Denise Bottcher, the governor's spokeswoman.
Earlier Monday, Mayor Ray Nagin had asked for as many as 300 National Guardsmen and 60 state police officers.
It was the first time the National Guard has been used for law enforcement in the United States since the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Nagin had sought the troops after five teenagers in an SUV were shot and killed in the city's deadliest attack in at least 11 years. Police said the attack was apparently motivated by drugs or revenge. Also, a man was stabbed to death Sunday night in an argument over beer.
"Today is a day when New Orleanians are stepping up. We've had enough," Nagin said. "This is our line in the sand. We're saying we're not going any further."
The governor urged the mayor to put a juvenile curfew in place. New Orleans has a curfew for juveniles, but Riley said it is not being enforced because there is no place to put young offenders.
Blanco offered two warnings: "First, to parents, keep your teenagers off the streets and out of trouble. Second, to judges, I am urging you to keep hardened criminals where they belong—in jail and off the streets. We must protect our citizens."
Nagin's request for help had been backed by the City Council.
"If we don't have wind knocking us down, we have shooters knocking us down, and that's unacceptable," said City Council President Oliver Thomas.
Crime has been creeping back into the city: 17 killings in the first three months of 2006, and 36 since the start of April.
At least 3 other people, ages 16 to 27, have been fatally shot in the same area where the five teenagers were killed early Saturday.
Sleep well citizens of the Cresent City!
"The situation is urgent," Blanco said. "Things like this should never happen, and I am going to do all I can to stop it."
One hundred National Guardsmen with law enforcement experience and 60 state police officers were to be sent to the city Tuesday. Up to 200 more troops would be deployed after that, said Denise Bottcher, the governor's spokeswoman.
Earlier Monday, Mayor Ray Nagin had asked for as many as 300 National Guardsmen and 60 state police officers.
It was the first time the National Guard has been used for law enforcement in the United States since the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Nagin had sought the troops after five teenagers in an SUV were shot and killed in the city's deadliest attack in at least 11 years. Police said the attack was apparently motivated by drugs or revenge. Also, a man was stabbed to death Sunday night in an argument over beer.
"Today is a day when New Orleanians are stepping up. We've had enough," Nagin said. "This is our line in the sand. We're saying we're not going any further."
The governor urged the mayor to put a juvenile curfew in place. New Orleans has a curfew for juveniles, but Riley said it is not being enforced because there is no place to put young offenders.
Blanco offered two warnings: "First, to parents, keep your teenagers off the streets and out of trouble. Second, to judges, I am urging you to keep hardened criminals where they belong—in jail and off the streets. We must protect our citizens."
Nagin's request for help had been backed by the City Council.
"If we don't have wind knocking us down, we have shooters knocking us down, and that's unacceptable," said City Council President Oliver Thomas.
Crime has been creeping back into the city: 17 killings in the first three months of 2006, and 36 since the start of April.
At least 3 other people, ages 16 to 27, have been fatally shot in the same area where the five teenagers were killed early Saturday.
Sleep well citizens of the Cresent City!
