NEW ORLEANS, June 30 (UPI) -- A man who was on a New Orleans bridge six days after Hurricane Katrina testified during the trial of five police officers he was wounded by police fire.

Jose Holmes Jr., 25, said the shooting began without warning or provocation, as he and his family had just started to walk up the Danziger Bridge. He was shot in the arm, the jaw and abdomen, The (New Orleans) Time-Picayune reported Wednesday.


Holmes said after the shooting began, he jumped a road barrier and lay down on his side, facing the barrier.

"I was kind of thinking if they saw us on the ground they wouldn't shoot us," he said.

Holmes said one of the shooters came over to the barrier and pointed a gun at him.

"I looked over and saw the barrel of a gun. So I looked away and they shot me two times in the stomach," Holmes said.

Kenneth Bowen, Robert Faulcon, Robert Gisevius and Anthony Villavaso accused of federal civil rights violations for allegedly shooting Holmes and other members of his group, as well as orchestrating a cover-up. Retired officer Arthur Kaufman also is accused in the alleged cover-up.

Attorney Eric Hessler, who represents Gisevius, a sergeant, said Holmes' recounting of the incident has changed over the years. He said Holmes' story began to evolve after FBI agents showed him video footage of the shooting taken by a TV news crew.

James Brissette, 17, died of his wounds, while Holmes and four others were severely injured, the newspaper said.