Gang Attack on Nan Brooklyn — 4 Killed, 20 Injured, Homes Burned; Police Armored Vehicles Alleged Near Scene

On May 26, 2026, gang forces attacked the Nan Brooklyn neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, killing at least 4 people and injuring 20, while burning homes in the area. Witnesses reported Haitian police armored vehicles were positioned at the entrance to Nan Brooklyn prior to the attack and that police tear gas was fired in the area before gunfire targeting civilians began. Unverified testimony from the scene alleged that gang leader Jimmy Chérizier ('Barbecue') was transported to the area in a Haitian National Police armored vehicle — allegations that, if confirmed, would constitute a direct instance of state resources being used to facilitate gang violence. The HNP has not publicly responded to these specific allegations as of the reporting date. In the aftermath of the May 26 attack, gang forces began installing new leadership in seized territories across adjacent neighborhoods, setting the stage for the continued violence on May 27. The attack follows the May 25 Krache Dife gang assault on an IDP camp in Delmas 6 and forms part of a continuous wave of gang-driven violence across Port-au-Prince neighborhoods outside the narrow city center corridor where the GSF's ~800-person advance force is deployed. As of May 26, the GSF had not yet commenced its official full operational mandate (scheduled to begin June 1). The Nan Brooklyn attack exemplifies the security vacuum in peri-central Port-au-Prince where neither the GSF nor an adequate HNP presence has been established.