Fantom 509, a group of masked police officers and ex-officers, said gang members in Village de Dieu have 24 hours to hand over the bodies of the police officers killed to their families.
“If they don’t give us the bodies of the police officers we’re going to burn down this country,” a Fantom 509 member told reporters during a demonstration in Port-au-Prince. “God forbid if they don’t give us the bodies after 24 hours. We will go after them.”
Journalists Luckner Desir and Guerrier Henri also called on the government to retrieve the fallen officers’ bodies, during a radio program.
Izo, head of the Village de Dieu gang, said in a widespread voice recording that he has held a funeral for the police officers and that he chose to keep the bodies for mystical reasons.
Police initially said four officers were killed, but several others, including the gang members involved, said five were slain.
Police officer: General inspector led officers to their deaths
Police officer Lionel Lazarre has accused a general inspector from the police force of purposely directing police officers to the area where they were fatally ambushed Friday.
Lazarre also said five officers were killed, contrary to the police’s initial report that four of them died, during a Tele20 interview on Monday.
Lazarre didn’t name the general inspector, but said that colleagues had access to the area via drone cameras mounted on their armored vehicles. Meaning that the inspector could view the larger area as he communicated with the officers.
“Every time the drone gave information to tell the police officers, ‘No, don’t enter. Move back. There’s a hole in front of you,’” Lazarre said. “[The police inspector] said, ‘No, the guys have to enter.’”
Moïse signs decree for police and military to join forces
President Jovenel Moïse announced via Twitter that he has authorized the police force and the military to work together to combat the ongoing rise in violence across the country.
“This Decree allows the competent authorities to mobilize any external support necessary for the realization of their mission,” Moïse said.
Moïse also asked the Organization of American States (OAS) to help the police force.