At least three people were killed when armed men attacked a briefing at the General Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Tuesday.
The victims included two journalists and a police officer, with several others injured.
The attack occurred as journalists, police, and medical staff gathered to announce the reopening of the hospital, which was previously occupied and destroyed by gangs. The briefing was disrupted when gunmen opened fire, causing panic and chaos.
The assailants are believed to be members of the Viv Ansanm gang, a violent group that controls large parts of Port-au-Prince. Witnesses described the scene as horrifying.
“It felt like a terrible movie,” said Dieugo André, a photojournalist who was present. “I have the blood of several injured journalists on my clothes.”
Images circulating online show bodies and injured people inside the hospital, which had been recaptured by the government in July.
Leslie Voltaire, head of Haiti’s presidential transitional council, condemned the attack in a video statement.
“We express our sympathy to all the victims’ families, particularly to the Haiti National Police and all journalists’ associations,” Voltaire said. “We guarantee them that this act will not remain without consequences.”
Health Minister Lorthe Blema, who was expected at the event, was not present during the shooting.
This attack highlights the deepening crisis in Haiti, where gang violence has surged since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021.
An estimated 85% of Port-au-Prince is under gang control, and the United Nations reports that as many as 5,000 people have been killed in gang-related violence this year.
Despite the installation of a transitional government in April and the deployment of international forces led by Kenyan police six months ago, the situation remains dire.
