( CNN ) -- Federal officials announced indictments Tuesday against four police officers and two supervisors in the investigation surrounding the post-Katrina deaths of civilians on New Orleans ' Danziger Bridge . At least three New Orleans police officers were in FBI custody Tuesday afternoon , an attorney for one of them confirmed . Kenneth Bowen , Anthony Villavaso and Robert Gisevius surrendered to authorities . Announcement of the charges stemming from a federal civil rights investigation was made by Attorney General Eric Holder in New Orleans . `` Put simply , we will not tolerate wrongdoing by those who have sworn to protect the public , '' Holder told reporters . Holder promised the Justice Department will help restore the troubled New Orleans police department . `` Today marks 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 , '' Holder said . He was joined by the Justice Department 's civil rights chief , Thomas E. Perez , and U.S. Attorney Jim Letten , the top federal prosecutor in New Orleans . The shootings occurred at the bridge on September 4 , 2005 , six days after Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast . The indictment allegesthat two separate shootings at the bridge resulted in the deaths of a teenager and a 40-year-old disabled man . The indictment contends four officers -- Bowen , Gisevius , Robert Faulcon and Villavaso -- opened fire , killing 19-year-old James Brissette . Minutes later , Faulcon allegedly shot and killed 40-year-old Ronald Madison . The indictment says the officers violated the victims ' civil rights . The indictment says police supervisors Arthur Kaufman and Gerard Dugue helped the other officers to obstruct justice during the subsequent investigations . An earlier investigation launched by the local district attorney resulted in charges but no convictions . Federal prosecutors then moved in and launched a new investigation which led to the newly announced charges . Letten said the federal case took so long because prosecutors waited for the local investigation to conclude , so as not to interfere or duplicate that probe . Although the charges announced Tuesday carry a maximum sentence of the death penalty , Letten played down that likelihood , saying an extended process will eventually be followed and any final decision on seeking the death penalty would be made by Holder . Attorney Frank DeSalvo , who represents Bowen , said of the indictment , `` We expected it and are ready to deal with it . '' The two shootings occurred on opposite sides of the bridge . In the first shooting , on the east side of the bridge , one person -- later identified as Brissette -- was killed and four people were wounded , prosecutors have said . In the second shooting , on the bridge 's west side , Madison , a severely disabled man , was killed . Madison 's brother was arrested but later released without indictment , authorities said . A witness to the shooting of Madison told CNN in 2006 that New Orleans police lined up `` like at a firing range '' and fatally shot the man in the back as he fled from them in the days after Hurricane Katrina swept ashore . `` He just fell like he was collapsing , '' Kasimir Gaston told CNN . `` Like something just wiped him out . '' Gaston was one of many flood refugees living on the second floor of the Friendly Inn , a low-income motel on the city 's east side . He said on Sunday , September 4 , 2005 , he woke up and stepped onto the balcony of the motel and saw a man running , hands outstretched and being fired upon . Initial police accounts said that Madison , 40 , reached for his waistband and turned on police , but Gaston said Madison did not appear to have a weapon and that he was running away from police `` hands out , full speed '' when he was shot . Police declined CNN 's request for an interview in response to Gaston 's remarks . After the shooting , police said officers had responded to reported gunshots on the Danziger Bridge and that a running gunbattle ensued with six suspects . A police department press release from October 4 , 2005 , said Madison , described as an unidentified gunman , was `` confronted by a New Orleans Police officer . The suspect reached into his waist and turned toward the officer who fired one shot , fatally wounding him . '' When asked if Madison had a gun , Gaston said , `` I did n't see any on him . '' No gun was found on Madison 's body . An autopsy report obtained previously by CNN and verified by the Orleans Parish Coroner said Madison suffered five gunshot wounds to his back and two in his shoulder . CNN 's Terry Frieden contributed to this report .
Four officers and two supervisors will face charges in post-Katrina shootings . The shooting of a New Orleans police officer on the Danziger Bridge was captured by cameras mounted inside an armored vehicle. Police maintained they had fired in self-defense .