2 reporters, cop killed in Haiti gang attack
PORT-AU-PRINCE—Two journalists covering the reopening of a hospital in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince and a police officer were shot dead Tuesday in an attack by gang members, a local media collective and authorities said.
Journalists Markenzy Nathoux and Jimmy Jean were killed “during an attack by bandits from the coalition ‘Viv Ansanm’ (‘Living Together’)” at State University of Haiti Hospital, Robest Dimanche, spokesperson for the Online Media Collective, told AFP.
Other journalists were wounded in the shootout and were being treated at another clinic, Dimanche added. A police officer was also killed, Haitian National Police spokesperson Lionel Lazarre told AFP, without providing further details.
The State University of Haiti Hospital, also known as General Hospital, had been closed since February after it was attacked by members of the same gang coalition. According to initial reports, assailants opened fire at the clinic as it was being reopened.
A witness told AFP that some people had been wounded, but could not say how many.
