Haitian gang opens fire on journalists, officers during ceremony

A deadly shooting in Haiti on Tuesday reportedly claimed the lives of law enforcement and journalists. A local radio station said it happened during a ceremony in the nation’s capital.

Gang members armed with guns began firing at the country’s largest hospital. At the time, government officials prepared to hold a press conference on its reopening.

In a video on social media, Haiti’s most powerful gang leader is claiming responsibility for the attack. He said his coalition did say the hospital could reopen.

On Facebook, Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council offered their condolences and vowed there would be consequences. However, the council did not confirm the number of people wounded.

“We express our sympathy to all the victims’ families, in particular, to the Haitian National Police and all the journalists’ associations.”

Statement by Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council

This summer, the Haitian government was able to regain control of the facility in Port-Au-Prince after closing its doors amid deadly gang attacks.

Officials said gangs run at least 80% of Haiti’s capital, putting the country’s healthcare system in a perilous situation. Looting and fire have destroyed critical medical facilities during a time when the need for resources is at an all-time high.

Since 2022, the Caribbean country has struggled with gang violence.

On Dec. 23, the United Nations released its official report on an attack on hundreds of Haitians earlier this month. Over four days, gang members killed 134 men and 73 women in Port-Au-Prince.

The U.N. report said the majority of victims were elderly, being accused of practicing voodoo and causing the illness of a gang leader’s child. Gang members either burn or dismembered their bodies in an attempt to hide evidence, according to the U.N.

The organization said over 5,300 people have been killed in Haiti since January of this year and more than 12,000 since the start of 2022.