PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Tragedy struck in Haiti’s capital on Tuesday when a gang attack turned a hopeful moment into a scene of chaos and heartbreak. The country’s largest public hospital, the General Hospital in Port-au-Prince, was set to reopen after being forced to close earlier this year due to gang violence. Instead, the event became the target of a violent attack that left two reporters and a police officer dead, while several others were injured.
It started as journalists gathered to report on the hospital’s reopening, a significant step for a city struggling with violence and instability. But as the event got underway, suspected gang members suddenly opened fire. In the confusion and terror, reporters and police officers became victims of this senseless act.
Robest Dimanche, a spokesperson for the Online Media Collective, identified the fallen journalists as Markenzy Nathoux and Jimmy Jean. Dimanche explained that the attack was believed to have been carried out by the Viv Ansanm gang coalition, a powerful group that has terrorized Port-au-Prince.
The Haitian Association of Journalists described the scene as horrifying, calling it “pure and simple terrorism.” They confirmed the deaths and added that seven journalists were among the wounded.
Interim President Leslie Voltaire addressed the nation, offering his condolences to the families of the victims and condemning the attack. He didn’t provide exact numbers but made it clear the government would respond firmly to such violence. A later statement from the government called the attack on the hospital a “heinous act” and an attack on the very heart of Haitian society.
Videos shared online captured the grim reality of the attack. In one, the lifeless bodies of two men lay on stretchers, their clothes soaked in blood. One of the men had a press pass hanging from his neck. Another video showed reporters trapped inside the hospital, some lying on the floor injured.
Radio stations and local outlets initially reported that seven journalists and two police officers were hurt. However, official responses and updates were slow to come, as authorities struggled to manage the chaos.
The gang responsible for the attack, led by Johnson “Izo” André, posted a video claiming responsibility. The gang said they had not given permission for the hospital to reopen. This group, part of the Viv Ansanm coalition, has taken control of an estimated 85% of Port-au-Prince and has also targeted key places like the city’s main airport and its two largest prisons.
This isn’t the first time journalists have been targeted in Haiti. Earlier this year, two reporters lost their lives within weeks of each other. In April, radio journalist Dumesky Kersaint was fatally shot, and later that month, journalist Ricot Jean was found dead.
The General Hospital, located near the national palace, has been a focal point in the ongoing battle between police and gangs. It had been abandoned and left in ruins earlier this year, with its walls and nearby buildings scarred by bullets. The reopening was meant to signal a step forward for Haiti’s struggling healthcare system.
Instead, the attack highlights the dire state of Haiti’s health services, already pushed to the brink by gang violence. Many medical institutions have been looted, burned, or destroyed. This has left the system overwhelmed, with more patients than resources and an increasing risk of disease outbreaks, especially during the rainy season. Cholera remains a significant threat, with over 84,000 suspected cases reported.
What should have been a moment of hope for Port-au-Prince has now deepened the city’s despair. The attack not only took lives but also reminded the world of the dangerous grip gangs have on Haiti, leaving its people and institutions in constant fear.
