Haiti gang opens fire on protesters in capital, killing seven

A gang in Haiti has shot and killed at least seven people who were marching in a big protest organised by a church leader.

Hundreds of parishioners, some armed with machetes, marched through a suburb of the capital, Port-au-Prince, in a bid to rid the area of gang members.

The gang is said to have opened fire on them with machine guns.

Soaring gang violence in Haiti has left more than 2,400 people dead in 2023 alone.

There are fears the death toll from Saturday’s shooting could increase, with several people wounded and others kidnapped.

The protest happened in the suburb of Canaan, which was founded by survivors of the devastating 2010 earthquake.

Canaan is controlled by a gang led by a man identified only as “Jeff”, who is believed to be allied with the 5 Segonn “5 Seconds” gang.

Read more: BBC News