Having lived in New Orleans,I know for a fact that most black families,the vast majority law abiding,have at least one gun in the house,for either self protection or hunting.
Its POSSIBLE these were some regular non-criminal folks scoping out things.
if they were law abiding, which I doubt, I'm sure they'd have obeyed orders to drop their weapons..like I said previously, the law abiding citizens with guns aren't out walking around..they're sitting in their place of business and homes protecting their property, not out wandering around when law enforcement has a shoot to kill order..