**At least three individuals, including two journalists, were killed when armed assailants targeted a hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, during its reopening briefing. The attack underscores the pervasive threat posed by gangs in the region.**
**Gunmen Attack Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Leaving Three Dead Amid Ongoing Gang Violence**
**Gunmen Attack Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Leaving Three Dead Amid Ongoing Gang Violence**
**Armed assault disrupts reopening of Haiti's largest public hospital, raising alarms about escalating unrest.**
At least three people were killed on Tuesday when armed assailants attacked a hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, during an event marking the reopening of the facility—the largest public hospital in the country. Among the deceased were two journalists and a police officer, with several others sustaining injuries amid the chaotic shooting.
The attack occurred at the general hospital as journalists gathered to hear from Health Minister Lorthe Blema. Eyewitness accounts reveal a scene of devastation, with graphic images circulating online showing bloodshed within the building. Victims included journalists Markenzy Nathoux and Jimmy Jean, as reported by Robest Dimanche, spokesperson for the Online Media Collective. The police officer's identity has not yet been disclosed.
An online statement from the Viv Ansanm gang alliance, known for its extensive control over larger portions of Port-au-Prince, claimed responsibility for the assault. The gang asserted that it had not consented to the hospital's reopening, stating that they had previously occupied and destroyed the site.
Leslie Voltaire, head of Haiti's presidential transitional council, expressed condolences to the families of the victims, particularly the National Police and media associations, promising that the attack would not go unpunished. This violent incident adds to the ongoing turmoil in Haiti, where gang violence remains rampant despite the establishment of a new transitional government earlier this year and the deployment of an international police force led by Kenyan officers.
Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, Haiti has experienced a dramatic surge in gang-related violence. The United Nations estimates that around 85% of Port-au-Prince is currently under gang dominance. This year alone, violence in Haiti has resulted in around 5,000 deaths, further pushing the nation to the brink of collapse.
