Inmates broke out of a prison in the coastal town of Saint-Marc in central Haiti on Friday, according to police, as the country continues to grapple with widespread gang violence.
Michel Ange Louis Jeune, spokesman for Haiti’s National Police, reported that eleven suspected escapees were killed in shootouts with police, and one was arrested. He did not provide further details, including the total number of inmates who escaped.
The Haitian newspaper Le Nouvelliste suggested that officers at the prison had gone on strike to demand better treatment, quoting government commissioner Vension François, who expressed concern about a potential “mutiny,” hinting at possible complicity among the guards. However, the report did not provide further elaboration.
Local officials were not immediately available for comment. In a brief statement, police requested public assistance in identifying the escaped inmates.
Gunfire was reported near the prison, and videos circulating on social media showed smoke and flames emerging from the facility. The exact number of inmates housed in the prison was not immediately clear.
This incident marks the third prison break in Haiti this year. In March, gangs stormed the two largest prisons in the capital, Port-au-Prince, freeing thousands of inmates as part of coordinated attacks that ultimately led to the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
Saint-Marc, located north of the capital, has experienced similar incidents in the past. In December 2014, nearly three dozen inmates escaped after sawing through steel bars, according to authorities. At that time, the prison held nearly 500 inmates.
Haitian prisons are notoriously overcrowded, with pre-trial detentions often lasting for years due to the country’s dysfunctional judicial system. According to the United Nations, only 1,892 of the 11,816 inmates in Haiti last year had been convicted of a crime.
Prisons across Haiti also suffer from chronic shortages of water and food, leading to severe conditions. Last year, 185 inmates died, many from malnutrition-related diseases.
