Haitian president, Jovenel Moïse shot 12 times in violent assassination as two suspects arrested
President’s daughter hid in her brother’s room while attackers tied up others in the house
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Haiti president Jovenel Moïse was shot 12 times and his left eye “blown out”, while four suspected gunmen were killed and two captured in a dramatic shootout less than 24 hours after the assassination.
Judge Carl Henry Destin, the deputy justice of the peace of Pétion-Ville, told Haiti’s French-language newspaper Le Nouvelliste that Mr Moïse’s body was found riddled with a dozen bullet wounds made by a large-calibre weapon and 9 mm firearms.
“We found him lying on his back, blue pants, a white shirt stained with blood, his mouth open, his left eye gouged out,” Mr Destin said.
“We saw a bullet impact at the level of his forehead, one in each nipple, three at the hip, one in the abdomen.”
Mr Destin told the newspaper that the president’s office and bedroom were ransacked while his daughter, Jomarlie Jovenel Moïse, hid in her brother’s bedroom during the attack.
A boy in the house and a maid were tied up by the commando team shouting “DEA operation” while "many 5.56 and 7.62 mm cartridge cases” were found between the gatehouse to inside the residence, he said.
Mr Moïse’s wife was the only other person shot. She was flown to Miami’s Ryder Trauma Center for treatment and is expected to survive.
The graphic details emerged as police killed four suspected “foreign mercenaries” and captured two in a shootout less than 24 hours after the assassination.
Haiti’s police chief, Léon Charles, said a statement they were “blocked” as they left the president’s house and that they had been battling them since surrounding their hideout.
Mr Charles said aid three police officers held hostage by the gunmen were released after the shootout.
Those killed and captured in the shootout were not identified and evidence of their links to the assassination have yet to be released.
Additional reporting by Associated Press.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments