Hundreds Mourn Four Victims of Brutal Gang Massacre in Haiti That Left 47 Dead

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Hundreds gathered in a church near Haiti’s capital on Sunday to mourn four of the 47 individuals killed in a harrowing gang attack that shocked a nation already grappling with widespread violence.

Mourners wept, raised their hands, and vocally honored the deceased as coffins were carried into a Kenscoff church. Pastor Jean Robert Dorlus expressed gratitude for the community’s solidarity, praying for the departed souls.

The August 23 assault on Kenscoff, which occurred in the dead of night, resulted in at least 47 deaths and over 50 abductions—a case among the most severe mass kidnappings in recent Haitian history. Survivors have since staged protests, accusing authorities of failing to prevent the atrocity and undermining lingering hopes of improved security.

Inside the packed church, attendees swayed to gospel music and mourned loved ones, including a mother, father, and their son, as well as a 70-year-old man whose body was reportedly set ablaze by gang members. Yvon Marleus, a local resident who lost a cousin, lamented, “These are people respected in the community. They didn’t act in time to stop the carnage.”

Haiti’s National Police announced an ongoing investigation into the attack, probing allegations of complicity or negligence. Outside the church, civilians armed themselves with automatic weapons alongside police, vigilant against potential retaliatory attacks.

Jean Calixte Juste, a Kenscoff survivor of the August 23 massacre, recounted narrowly escaping death, stating, “This is the worst and most terrible night I’ve ever experienced.” He joined others in honoring the victims despite not knowing them personally.

Pope Leo XIV condemned the massacre, appealing for the release of all hostages and urging an end to violence. U.N. Human Rights Office spokesperson Marta Hurtado revealed that 150 heavily armed gang members carried out the attack, first executing 13 fleeing civilians before pursuing others into a church, where 22 were killed in the courtyard and 12 behind the building. Over 2,600 residents were rendered homeless, while six children and seven women were later freed after UNICEF interventions. Dozens remain missing.

Armed groups now control roughly 70% of Port-au-Prince and large areas of central Haiti, with Kenscoff under threat. Gang violence has displaced nearly 1.5 million people nationwide, and over 3,050 fatalities were recorded in the first half of the year, per U.N. data. Juste, shaken by the events, declared, “After this, I don’t think we’re going to survive another big attack.”

Source link