Shooting at Champs-de-Mars: Several Injured Reported Among Unarmed Civilians

PORT-AU-PRINCE.— A shooting broke out this Tuesday near the base of the Departmental Law Enforcement Unit (UDMO) at Champs-de-Mars, the heart of the capital. According to several witnesses, heavily armed individuals, presented as affiliated with the criminal coalition Viv Ansanm, opened fire towards a police patrol circulating on Capois Street. The particularly violent scene plunged the area into a climate of panic. Dozens of passersby, surprised by the gunfire, tried to take shelter in nearby shops and buildings. More Victims Among Innocent Civilians Among the injured are two women: a juice vendor and a mute citizen, both hit by several projectiles. They were quickly transported to a hospital in the capital to receive emergency care. Their health status had not yet been communicated by the end of the day. Other people were also reportedly hit or suffered trauma during the stampede caused by the attack, according to initial testimonies gathered on site. Downtown Is Definitely Not Safe The incident occurs in a context marked by a resurgence of armed violence in the capital and its surroundings. Clashes between law enforcement and criminal groups have been increasing for several months, particularly in strategic areas of Port-au-Prince. Champs-de-Mars, a public space once highly symbolic, is regularly the scene of tensions between the police and armed groups attempting to assert their presence near public institutions. At the time of writing this article, no official communication from the Haitian National Police (PNH) had yet been released regarding the precise toll of this shooting or the measures planned to secure the perimeter. The event reignites concerns among residents and merchants in the area, who are facing increasing insecurity that disrupts their daily lives. Jean Mapou