A US missionary couple – Natalie Lloyd (21) and her 23-year-old husband Davy Lloyd – were killed by gunmen in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince on Thursday evening, reported the BBC. Along with the US couple – who got married in 2022, a 20-year-old Haitian, Jude Montis, was also ambushed by the gunmen when all three people left a church, added the report.
The couple’s death was confirmed by the Missouri State Senator Ben Baker, who is also Natalie’s father. He took to Facebook and wrote, “They were attacked by gangs this evening and were both killed. They went to heaven together.” The Missions in Haiti confirmed to US media that Montis was the third victim. In the previous post, the Missions in Haiti stated that all three were attacked by two separate armed groups, first by gunmen in three vehicles. Following this, another group arrived, and a gang member was shot dead. This led to the three missionaries trapped in the house, and in the gang war, all three people died.
“They are holed up in there, the gangs have shot all the windows out of the house and continued to shoot,” the post said. However, a police spokesperson claimed that the gunmen entered the house and looted it before murdering the missionaries, adding that the gang then took the trucks, loaded everything they wanted and fled.
Meanwhile, reviewed a video which showed Davy and Natalie’s bodies sprawled on the floor of the home. Also, Davy and Jude’s remains have been burned. After the death, a State Department spokesperson said that they were aware of the matter. “We offer our sincerest condolences to the family on their loss,” quoted the spokesperson as saying, who added, “We stand ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance.” Meanwhile, Missouri Governor Mike Parson called the deaths “absolutely heart-breaking news”.
On Friday, to stabilise the nation, the White House called for the swift deployment of a Kenyan-led multinational force. “The security situation in Haiti cannot wait,” quoted a National Security Council spokesperson as saying. “Our hearts go out to the families of those killed as they experience unimaginable grief,” the spokesperson added.
