Believe what you will. Add this to your understanding of the chaos that ensued in absence of a preparedness plan in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. From New Orleans Metroblog:

His first fear was that he would be killed, his wife raped until she was dead and their son left to the non-existant mercy of the crowd. He says personal, violent assault (sexual and otherwise) was common and the crowd was literally held inside the dome's perimeter at gunpoint. He says the National Guard had only an outer perimeter, disregarding what was happening inside because they knew the dome occupants were thousands of people they wouldn't have to try to keep up with on the streets.