Haiti President Killed by 'Foreign Hit Squad,' Police Say
Two American citizens involved in assassination team who killed Jovenel Moïse
© press
Police in Haiti say a "foreign hit squad," that included two American citizens, was behind the assassination of the country's President Jovenel Moïse this week.
A group of 28 foreign mercenaries, including Haitian Americans and retired Colombian soldiers, was reportedly responsible for the brutal execution.
Haitian authorities said the hunt goes on for the "masterminds" of the gruesome killing.
A heavily armed commando unit assassinated Moïse, 53, at his home on Wednesday.
Officials said the group was made up of foreign, highly-trained killers, which was not typical of the poorest country in the Americas, which has been pushed deeper into turmoil amid political divisions, hunger and widespread gang violence.
The suspected assassins were tracked by authorities on Wednesday to a house near the scene of the crime in Petionville, a northern, hillside suburb of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
© press
A firefight lasted late into the night and authorities detained a number of suspects on Thursday.
Police chief Charles Leon paraded 17 men before journalists at a news conference late on Thursday, showing a number of Colombian passports plus assault rifles, machetes, walkie-talkies, and materials including bolt cutters and hammers.
“Foreigners came to our country to kill the president,” Charles said.
“There were 26 Colombians, identified by their passports, and two Haitian Americans as well.”
He said 15 Colombians were captured, as well as two Haitian Americans.
Three of the assailants were killed and eight remained on the run, Charles said.
The Latin Times on Thursday reported that Moïse was shot a total of 12 times — including through his forehead, nipples, hip, and abdomen — and that his left eye was torn out.
Moïse's body was discovered riddled with bullets from a high-caliber firearm after the Wednesday attack in which his wife was also shot multiple times.
Moïse's son was reportedly handcuffed along with a maid during the incident, and his daughter fled and hid in the family's home.
According to the report, the two were unharmed as assailants stormed the residence declaring a "DEA [United States Drug Enforcement Administration] operation."
The suspects, according to reports, spoke Spanish and English and are believed to be foreigners.
In a statement, Carl Henry Destin — deputy justice of the peace in Pétion-Ville — said that investigators discovered the grisly scene inside the president's home.
"The president's office and bedroom were ransacked," Destin said.
"We found him lying on his back, blue pants, a white shirt stained with blood, his mouth open, his left eye gouged out."
Destin added that the president's wife, Martine, suffered gunshot wounds to the legs, arm, torso, and hand.
She was flown to Miami for emergency surgery and is reportedly in stable condition at the time of this reporting.
Haitian U.S. Ambassador Bocchit Edmond said that the siege on the president's home was a "well-orchestrated commando attack" and that it was clear that the attackers had "internal help."
Edmond added, "The most important thing is we need to continue with the investigations and look and identify those who financed them, those who paid them to commit this horrible act."
© press
In February, Moïse said that security foiled an attempt on his life.
"I thank my head of security at the palace," he said at the time.
"The goal of these people was to make an attempt on my life. ...
"That plan was aborted."
