Police shoot looters dead

New Orleans police shot and killed four men and wounded one on Sunday after looters fired on officers, a policeman said.

The incident on Sunday morning, as the city began to clean up from the devastation of hurricane Katrina, resulted in four fatalities and one person in critical condition, said one policeman who asked not to be named. No police were wounded.

"Five men who were looting exchanged gunfire with police. The officers engaged the looters when they were fired upon," said superintendent of New Orleans police, Steven Nichols.

Asked for more details, he said only, "The incident is under police investigation."