Haiti police probe killings of parishioners who were led by a pastor into gang territory

By EVENS SANON
Associated Press

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — The director of Haiti’s National Police is vowing to hold accountable those who encouraged hundreds of parishioners to take up machetes and sticks over the weekend to rid a community of gang members, only to be fatally shot by them. Police Chief Frantz Elbé says the group’s religious leader participated in the protest and was accompanied by unidentified people clad in olive green garb carrying assault rifles as they and the parishioners marched toward the community of Canaan on Saturday. Elbé says “multiple” people died and several were kidnapped when the group was attacked by gang members, but has not provided a number. He says police are trying to recover the bodies of those killed.