US Missionary Couple Among 3 Gunned Down in Haiti's Capital

Port-au-Prince: A US missionary couple was shot and killed by criminal gang members in Haiti’s capital after y were abducted while leaving a youth group activity held at a local church, according to a police official and a religious group. A third person also was killed during attack Thursday evening in community of Lizon in norrn Port-au-Prince, Lionel Lazarre, he of a Haitian police union, told Associated Press on Friday.

slayings occurred as capital crumbles under relentless assault of violent gangs that control 80 per cent of Port-au-Prince while authorities await arrival of a police force from Kenya as part of a UN-backed deployment aimed at quelling gang violence in troubled Caribbean country.

Two of victims were a young married couple, Davy and Natalie Lloyd, according to a Facebook posting from Natalie Lloyd’s far, Missouri state Representative Ben Baker. name of third person killed wasn’t immediately available.

“My heart is broken in a thousand pieces,” Baker wrote on Facebook on Thursday. “I’ve never felt this kind of pain. Most of you know my daughter and son-in-law Davy and Natalie Lloyd are full time missionaries in Haiti. y were attacked by gangs this evening and were both killed. y went to Heaven toger.”

couple worked for Missions in Haiti Inc. Claremore, Oklahoma, organisation was founded by David and Alicia Lloyd, Davy Lloyd’s parents. Natalie Lloyd’s Facebook page said couple married on June 18, 2022, and she began working with missionary organization in August 2022.

She frequently posted photos of Haitian children on her page.

mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It runs a school in Lizon for more than 240 students that it opened in September 2008, according to its website.

A Facebook posting on Missions for Haiti page late Thursday stated that Davy and Natalie, along with children, were leaving a church when “y were ambushed by a gang of 3 trucks full of guys.”

posting said Davy Lloyd was taken to a house, where he was tied up and beaten. post later said that Davy, Natalie and a third person, listed only as Jude, were at house when shooting broke out. It said that gang members “shot all windows out of house and continue to shoot. ir lives are in danger."

Three hours later, anor posting from Missions in Haiti re: “Around midnight: Davy and Natalie and Jude were shot and killed by gang about 9 o’clock this evening. We all are devastated.”

It wasn’t immediately clear which gang or gangs were responsible for fatal shootings.

However, a gang leer called Chyen Mechan, which means “mean dog” in Haitian Creole, controls area where shooting occurred. His real name is Claudy Célestin, and he is a dismissed civil servant from Haiti’s Ministry of Interior.

leer of anor gang known as General Jeff also controls territory near neighborhood where couple was killed. Both gangs are part of a coalition known as Viv Ansanm, which means “Live Toger.”

coalition is responsible for launching large-scale attacks on key government infrastructure starting February 29. Gunmen have attacked police stations, opened fire on main international airport that remained closed for nearly three months before opening earlier this week and stormed Haiti’s two biggest prisons, releasing more than 4,000 inmates.

Gangs also are blamed for killing or injuring more than 2,500 people across Haiti from January to March, a 50 per cent increase compared with same period last year, according to United Nations.

Kidnappings also are rampant, with targets including US missionaries.

In October 2021, gang members kidnapped 17 missionaries, majority US citizens. Many in group, which included five children, were held captive for more than two months before escaping.

n in July 2023, gangs kidnapped a US nurse and her daughter from campus of a Christian-run school near Port-au-Prince. y were released nearly two weeks later.

US Department of State has long h a “do not travel” visory for Haiti and urges any US citizens in country to depart as soon as possible.

On Missions for Haiti website, founders wrote that organization was founded in 2000. It said it aimed to help with “ country's biggest need — its children.”

"Although entire nation is steeped in poverty, children suffer worst. Thousands are malnourished, uneducated, and heed for hopeless lives apart from Christ,” website said.

A May 2023 newsletter posted on mission website said Natalie “has been helping with kids at House of Compassion and assisting in our ACE school. Davy has been working on a lot of bly needed projects around our compound,” including building a laundry room and repairing bathrooms.