Police kill second-in-command of feared ‘Barbecue’ armed group

Haiti.- On Sunday, Haitian National Police agents killed Kendy, known as ‘Jeff Mafia,’ in a gunfight. He was considered the second-in-command of the notorious criminal gang led by former police officer Jimmy Cherisier, alias ‘Barbacue.’ Police sources confirmed the operation, which also resulted in the deaths of other members of the ‘Vivre Ensemble’ gang, during a raid in the city center. ‘Jeff Mafia,’ who frequently accompanied Cherisier to public events, was reportedly shot while in the Fort National area with fellow gang members.

In retaliation for the police action, gangs spread terror across several neighborhoods in the capital, including Poupelard, Poste Marchand, and Lalue. Gunfire echoed throughout the day, and armed gangs set numerous homes on fire. Many residents fled these areas, seeking safety from the violence. Gangs control around 80% of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, which continues to suffer from widespread lawlessness and instability. Last week, two massacres claimed the lives of over 200 people, highlighting the ongoing crisis in the country, the poorest in the Americas.