Vigilantes kill a dozen gang members

On April 24th, 2023, In a chaotic decision, a crowd took the lives of more than a dozen individuals who were suspected of being gang members.

From visual recordings provided by Reuters and AFP, the scene included charred bodies surrounded by tires which were aflame and a swarm of people that had congregated in the region. Conversations with locals showed that they had a strong belief that these casualties were parts of a criminal organization.

Everything had begun with the Haitian National Police halting a minibus in the Canape-Vert neighborhood to search for weapons and other items. According to a statement from the force, “incredibly, multiple individuals occupying the vehicle were eventually lynched by some members of the population.” Comprehending this harsh reality, a fifteen-year-old inhabitant told AFP, “We won’t run away. If the gangs invade us, we’ll make sure to defend ourselves. We have our own weapons and machetes, and we won’t be timid in taking their tools.” It seemed clear that the community were fed up with the gang reign that had corrupted their area.

The Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, showed support for the efforts taken by the national law enforcement to bring about “peace and stability to our cities and districts.” He went on to state that “working together we can tackle issues connected to security to rise above this predicament.”