New Orleans has always been crime ridden, but in the old days The French Quarter was kept safe because they feared losing the tourist trade. Since it has been declared "a chocolate city", all bets are off.
The city probably has no idea how much tourism they actually lose due to stories like this. They’re probably too stupid to know that there’s this thing called ‘the internet’ where people access news from everywhere and whenever they want it.
From what I read about NOLA, have no intention of visiting this tourist spot. Not worth having to be on constant alert for a mugging. Same with Chicago, same with many other socialist utopias.