Gang Attack in Port-au-Prince Leaves at Least 47 Dead and Over 50 Kidnapped
Violent gangs in Haiti's capital killed at least 47 people, including children, burned an evangelical church sanctuary and abducted more than 50 residents, prompting condemnation from the U.N. and local officials.
Violent armed groups in the Kenscoff district of Port-au-Prince carried out a mass killing that left at least 47 people dead, according to United Nations figures, with five of the victims identified as children. The attackers also set fire to an evangelical church sanctuary and seized more than 50 other residents.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the incident on Tuesday, noting that 22 of the victims were shot inside the church compound where they had sought refuge. Haitian authorities reported that gang leaders threatened to kill the hostages if security forces harmed any gang members.
Kenscoff mayor Jean Massillon said the gangs also torched 25 homes and killed two government employees, including his cousin who served as his security detail. He called the incident an “atrocity” and expressed optimism that state forces would continue efforts to dismantle the gangs.
The attack follows a pattern of escalating violence in Haiti, where gangs are estimated to control 70%-90% of Port-au-Prince. In the first seven months of 2026, two priests were abducted and a seminarian was murdered; earlier incidents included the killing of two nuns and the kidnapping of multiple religious figures.
UN statistics released this week show that more than 3,050 people have been killed in Haiti from January to June, and gang-related displacement has reached a record 1.5 million people.