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Gunmen open fire at Haiti’s General Hospital, killing three
Haiti's largest public hospital reopening marred by deadly gang attack
A violent attack by armed men at Haiti’s largest public hospital has left three people dead and many others injured.
The shooting occurred on Tuesday at the General Hospital in Port-au-Prince during a press briefing to announce its reopening.
The hospital, reclaimed by the government in July after years under gang control, was hosting journalists, police, and medical staff when the gunfire erupted.
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Two journalists and a police officer were among those killed, while images circulating online show harrowing scenes of casualties inside the hospital.
Witnesses say the attack began just as attendees awaited the arrival of Haiti’s health minister. The motive for the shooting remains unclear.
Leslie Voltaire, the head of Haiti’s presidential transitional council, condemned the attack, stating, “We express our sympathy to all the victims’ families, in particular to the Haiti National Police and all the journalists’ associations. We guarantee them that this act will not remain without consequences.”
Haiti has been in the grip of escalating gang violence, with an estimated 85% of Port-au-Prince under gang control.
The assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 plunged the country into deeper chaos, and efforts to restore order—including the deployment of an international force led by Kenyan officers—have yet to yield significant results.
The UN reports that at least 5,000 people have been killed in Haiti this year alone, as the country teeters on the brink of collapse.
Tuesday’s attack highlights the pervasive insecurity and underscores the immense challenges faced by Haiti’s transitional government.
Authorities have pledged a thorough investigation into the attack and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Meanwhile, the people of Haiti continue to endure relentless violence and instability.
