15 killed in wave of violence in Haiti’s capital

Fifteen people have been killed in a wave of violence in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, in what the police say was revenge for the slaying of an officer.

Haiti’s National Police Chief Leon Charles said the separate killings took place late on Tuesday in the same district of the capital where police officer Guerby Geffrard had been killed hours earlier.

Charles blamed Geffrard’s “allies” for the killing of the 15 individuals, who he said were civilians.

“In reaction to the assassination of Guerby Geffrard, his allies concocted this morning’s shootings, which resulted in the death of 15 peaceful citizens,” Charles told a press conference on Wednesday. He said an investigation was taking place and “all the perpetrators and co-perpetrators of the crimes committed” were to be found.

The bodies of some of the victims were found on the street and sidewalk in a crowded part of the capital city. Political activist Antoinette Duclair was found dead in her car. Journalist Diego Charles and the brother of a famous Haitian singer were also killed.

Haitian Prime Minister Claude Joseph expressed his condolences and said “these horrible crimes and these reprehensible actions cannot go unpunished in a democratic society.”

Political instability and crippled security have been the main sources of a surge in gang violence in Port-au-Prince over the past months. Violence has escalated in neighboring districts and cities as well.

Gunfights between rival gangs have forced ordinary citizen to flee from their homes and seek safety in sport complexes and other buildings.

The violence has also concerned journalists, who have often been victims. In 2018, photojournalist Vladjimir Legagneur went in a gang-plagued neighborhood of the capital city on a reporting assignment and has been missing since. In 2019, two journalists were also found dead, and investigations have not led to any convincing result.

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