Over 40 killed as gangs spread terror in Haiti’s Arcahaïe district fishing community 

PORT-AU-PRINCE — At least 42 people were killed Thursday by gangs in Labodrie, a small fishing community in Cabaret’s Boucassin communal section near Arcahaïe— about 20 miles north of the Haitian capital. Gunmen from the Viv Ansanm gang alliance stormed homes and opened fire on residents, according to a preliminary report from municipal authorities. 

Survivors described the Sept. 11 massacre as indiscriminate and brutal, targeting families, including children and the elderly. Some said the massacre apparently was provoked by the killing of a local Viv Ansanm gang leader in Cabaret—known as Vladimir. 

However, Baptiste Joseph Louis—Boucassin’s administrative councilor (CASEC)—said the killings followed several days of gun battles between police and gang members trying to seize Arcahaïe after consolidating control over neighboring Cabaret on Sept. 6. Police and municipal brigades had pushed the gangs back, forcing them into Labodrie, where they accused residents of collaborating with authorities.

“The men stormed in, broke down the doors of houses, and opened fire on young boys and girls, the elderly and even babies,” said Louis on Radio Caraïbes. “One family of four—the mother, father, child, and grandmother—was killed.”

Some victims’ bodies were left uncollected, already being eaten by stray dogs, Louis lamented. Families fled in panic, with many now sheltering in Arcahaïe town. He warned the death toll could rise, as several people remain missing.

“This tragedy highlights the urgent need for effective state intervention to end impunity and restore security in the region,” Louis said.

Residents under siege amid mixed messages from gangs

The massacre underscores Arcahaïe’s precarious position. The Taliban gang, part of the Viv Ansanm coalition, attempted to take the commune in October 2024, killing at least three people and setting several houses ablaze. Specialized police units repelled that assault, but gangs have since tightened their grip in the region.

“We, the residents of Arcahaïe, are not in conflict with anyone. They are the ones trying to invade us,” said Mayor Wilner René. “They’re blocking the road near Cabaret, causing serious consequences for our economy. Agricultural products are starting to rot.”

Local officials are urgently calling for armored vehicles and reinforcements to halt the advance. “We cannot run from them, because we have nowhere to go,” René said.

The massacre came just weeks after Viv Ansanm leader and FBI wanted fugitive, Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, publicly urged displaced residents in Port-au-Prince to return home, saying his fighters were withdrawing from neighborhoods like Solino, Nazon and Delmas 30.

But returnees found widespread destruction: homes looted or burned, walls knocked down, roofs stripped, roads damaged and electrical wires stolen. In some areas, like Solino, residents have begun a cleanup. In others, such as Delmas 30, families remain homeless.

Between January and June 2025, at least 3,141 people were killed in gang violence nationwide, according to the UN. More than 1.3 million have been displaced—an increase of nearly one-quarter since late 2024.

The UN reports that the West, Centre and Artibonite departments are hardest hit, with gangs controlling major towns like Mirebalais, Saut-d’Eau and La Chapelle.

International push for security force

The United States and its regional allies from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Organization of American States (OAS) have renewed calls for the UN Security Council to approve a 5,500-member Gang Suppression Force to replace the Multinational Security Support mission (MSS), whose funding shortages, understaffing and lack of equipment have hampered operations. The plan includes a UN support office in Port-au-Prince to provide logistical support and coordinate funds.

If approved, the GSF proposed earlier this month by the U.S. and Panama will have the power to detain and arrest suspected gang members.

Meanwhile, the security firm of former U.S. Navy SEAL Erik Prince, Vectus Global, contracted by the Haitian government, is also expected to deploy nearly 200 personnel from various countries to Haiti as part of a deal to quell gang violence there.

Haitian officials have fully endorsed the GSF proposal. “Every meeting, every consultation, every decision has a single goal: to restore security, build a stable environment, and organize free, inclusive, and credible elections,” said Presidential Transition Council President Laurent Saint-Cyr in a statement Friday.

Still, with just about five months left in the council’s mandate and gangs tightening their grip across Haiti, residents of Arcahaïe and beyond are left with little more than promises.

Parallel to Arcahaïe, other factions of Viv Ansanm expanded attacks elsewhere. On Sept. 10, gunmen stormed the southeast Port-au-Prince neighborhood of Turgeau, killing three brothers from a family of nine and setting their bodies on fire. The victims — Widechel, Patrick and Josué Lalane — were all mechanics.

“We live as a community. We didn’t want to leave for fear of being separated, since we wouldn’t find a place that could accommodate all of us,” their surviving brother Stanley Lalane told Le Nouvelliste. 

“My brothers died out of love. Ironically, they were killed together by a group that claims we must live together.”

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