Here is a post from AV123, from a gent from New Orleans. He has actual first hand accounts from talking to local law enforcement :

In reply to:

I wanted to chime in here regarding the looting and the media's coverage of it. All the news stations I've been watching are downplaying the chaos the looting and lawlessness are really creating. Many of the things I have been told by the parish sheriff and his deputies is not making it onto the national newscasts. We are now receiving local New Orleans newscasts and they are starting to report about some of these incidences. I just finished watching a local N.O. newscast and the reporter was interviewing a N.O. police officer. In the midst of the interview automatic gunfire was directed at the news crew and officer. The interview was continued several minutes later once the situation was resolved. The police officer reported that they were able to spot muzzle flashes on one of the subsequent bursts and placed several shots in the area to neutralize the threat. This activity is going around all over the metropolitan area. A number of police officers have been shot and killed. The vast majority of this is not being reported. I have been told of many incidents like the one above (and worse) that are not being reported.