Haiti: 25 dead in prison escape, 200 more prisoners wanted
Detainees recovered by the Haitian police outside the Croix-des-Bouquets prison, after an escape attempt, in Port-au-Prince on February 25, 2021. AP - Dieu Nalio Chery
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The results of the massive escape which took place this Thursday, February 25 in the suburbs of the Haitian capital is considerable: more than 200 detainees are still wanted and 25 people were killed during this incident.
Among them is a notorious gang leader, shot dead during a police check the day after his escape.
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With our correspondent in Port-au-Prince,
Amélie Le Baron
Twenty-four hours after the massive escape that took place Thursday at Croix des Bouquets prison, the Haitian authorities gave a first quantitative assessment.
According to Frantz Exantus, the Secretary of State for Communication, more than 400 prisoners escaped.
Almost 200 have already been recovered by the police.
“
Before yesterday's incident, there were 1,542 prisoners in Croix des Bouquets prison,
” said Frantz Exantus.
The count made this morning Friday shows us that 1,125 prisoners are in cells.
Twenty-five people died, including six prisoners and the divisional inspector Paul Hector Joseph who was in charge of the prison.
Among the dead prisoners, there is Arnel Joseph who attacked a police patrol which had stopped the motorbike he was on.
The police retaliated and Arnel Joseph died.
"
Ordinary citizens
Gang leader Arnel Joseph was killed by law enforcement more than 120 km north of the prison the day after his escape.
According to the authorities' record, 18 of the 25 people who died were ordinary citizens, killed by escaping prisoners.
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