“Haiti Gang Violence: 10 Suspects Lynched and Burned in Port-au-Prince”

Police in Haiti said at least 10 suspected gang members were lynched and their bodies were later burned by residents of the capital Port-au-Prince, Reuters reported, citing BTA.

Local police spokesman Gary Derosier said a group of armed bandits drove a car through the streets of the capital and police tried to arrest them.

The spokesman added that among the slain bandits was the notorious gangster boss Carlo Ptiom. He is better known by his nickname “You Macaque” and led a gang of the same name.

The lynching of the thugs comes after days of confrontation between gang members and police.

Footage from Reuters and videos on social media showed several bodies sprawled on the road and littered with burning tires and other objects. People have gathered around them, shouting angrily. One of the bystanders forces the lifeless bodies with a blunt object.

Gangs in Haiti have been rampant since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, and local residents have suffered from their raids as lawlessness reigned in many areas of the capital and much of the countryside, according to Reuters.

The Associated Press reported yesterday that the poor neighborhood of Cité Soleil (ironically nicknamed the City of the Sun) has been cut off from Port-au-Prince after armed gangs blocked access to the region, controlling the movement and import of essential goods – food, as well as health services.