US National Guard troops and state police are due to arrive in New Orleans today to fight rising violence after five teenagers were shot and killed.
The shooting on Saturday was raised fears among residents that crime is returning before the city can completely recover from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco promised to send troops to the beleaguered city. "The situation is urgent and we will accelerate our plans to deploy law enforcement to the city tomorrow," Ms Blanco said in a statement after Mayor Ray Nagin and the city council called for reinforcements for city police.
"We will respond with personnel from the State Police and National Guard," she said, adding that 300 National Guard troops and 60 state police would start arriving today.
Only about 220,000 people, or half the pre-storm population, have come back to New Orleans, leaving many neighbourhoods dark and many returning citizens isolated.
New Orleans was once one of the most dangerous cities in the United States, but the level of violence dropped sharply in the wake of Katrina, which killed more than 1,500 and drove nearly the entire population from their homes.