Four police officers could face the death penalty after being accused of the fatal shootings of two unarmed people in the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.
The city’s corruption-plagued police department already faces several US federal investigations.
The four officers were charged along with two others in a 27-count indictment
Officers Kenneth Bowen, Robert Gisevius, Anthony Villavaso and former officer Robert Faulcon were charged with the shootings and alleged cover-up. Also charged were two supervisors who were accused of helping cover-up the incident and obstructing the investigation.
The officers were armed with two AK-47 assault rifles, a shotgun and a M-4-type assault rifle, among other weapons. The two incidents occurred within minutes of each other on the Danziger bridge a few days after Katrina hit the city.
Five former New Orleans police officers have already pleaded guilty to helping cover up the shootings on the Danziger Bridge that left two men dead and four wounded just days after the August 2005 hurricane.
In one instance, a mentally disabled man was shot in the back and stamped on before he died.
Prosecutors say officers fabricated witness statements, falsified reports and planted a gun in an attempt to make it appear the shootings were justified.
Unveiling the charges US attorney general Eric Holder said the move was an "important step forward in administering justice, in healing community wounds, in improving public safety, and in restoring public trust in this city's police department".
The four officers charged with the killings could face the death penalty or life in prison. Mr Faulcon quit the department in 2005.
The two supervisors were Arthur Kaufman and Gerard Dugue. Mr Kaufman could face up to 120 years in prison while Mr Dugue, who is now retired, could face up to 70 years in prison.
In addition to the Danziger bridge case, the Justice Department's civil rights division, at the request of New Orleans' mayor, recently began investigating broader allegations of excessive police force, unconstitutional searches and seizures as well as racial profiling.
The indictment says that on September 4th, 2005, Mr Bowen, Mr Gisevius, Mr Faulcon and Mr Villavaso drove onto the bridge in a rental truck in response to a call that another officer had come under fire nearby. They came across a family and James Brissette (19), a family friend.
The officers opened fire on the group, who were on their way to get food and supplies from a supermarket, according to the indictment. Mr Brissette was shot and killed while four other family members were wounded.
Minutes later the officers went to the other side of the bridge where they encountered Ronald Madison (40) and his brother Lance. Ronald Madison was shot in the back by Mr Faulcon as he tried to run away and was kicked and stomped on by Mr Bowen, according to the indictment.
Lance Madison was arrested for attempted murder of a police officer but was released three weeks later and no charges were filed. No guns or shell casings were recovered from the scene that day, though a month later 30 casings were collected, the indictment said.
Mr Kaufman and Mr Dugue were accused of working with the four officers to cover up what happened. Mr Kaufman is charged with fabricating witnesses and statements to justify the shooting and taking a gun from home and saying it was found at the scene.
Reuters/AP