When does looting become armed insurrection?

[Downdraft]

At what point do you say this has gone beyond looting and a breakdown of social order and start calling it armed insurrection in the face of a disaster beyond what our minds can conceive. The reason I ask that question is simple; local authorities are charged with handling looting, armed insurrection on the other hand is put down by federal authorities.
It is time for federal authorities to send in everything they got and take control by any and all means necessary. This simply has got to stop its tearing the heart out of America.

[x-y-no]

I'd say that when people are shooting at boats and helicopters engaged in rescue operations, that qualifies.

I hope we can get enough troops to restore order in there soon.

[themusk]

I'd say that when people are shooting at boats and helicopters engaged in rescue operations, that qualifies.

I hope we can get enough troops to restore order in there soon.

Unfortunately, no. Armed insurrection involves an intent to overthrow the government, whereas shooting at your rescuers involves an apparent intent to commit suicide and take the rest of the city with you.

I think I understand the logic behind it: "getting back" at the persons perceived as "oppressors" (that is, if you can call such a thing "logic"). Additionally the persons doing it probably believe the rescue workers are cops (yes, I know, how you ask? Keep in mind that in those conditions people, even very good and normally sane people, can get delusional). There may be some frustration among criminal gangs about getting out of town with their loot -- after all, they too are hungry, thirsty, beginning to get sick, and feel trapped.

(Grasping the motives of criminals in the eyes of some simplistic people is interchangible with "sympathy" for them, but I don't see how you can predict the behavior of, and outwit, criminals without mentally stepping into their shoes and trying to figure out what they are thinking. And naturally they think better of themselves than we think of them.)

If it was a bit more organized than that -- i.e., some self-declared "leadership" declared its intent to "take back" "their city" -- it would be an insurrection, but merely being criminal and *%&#@! off isn't it.