Wall Street Journal: [2] The head of a Haitian gang holding 17 American and Canadian missionaries captive has threatened to kill them if a ransom isn’t paid, according to a video.
[3] “I swear that if I don’t get what I want, I prefer to kill the Americans. I’ll put a bullet in each of their heads,” said Wilson Joseph, believed by Haitian officials to be the head of the 400 Mawozo gang that carried out the brazen mass kidnapping of 16 Americans and one Canadian.
[4] The video was widely being shared on social media in Haiti on Thursday. The Wall Street Journal was unable to verify its authenticity. [5] Mr. Joseph appeared to be speaking in the video from a funeral on Wednesday of five of his fellow gang members, whose deaths he blamed on National Police Chief Leon Charles.
It was unclear how or why the gang members were killed.
[6] “Five soldiers fell but they won’t destroy an army. I’m going to pour blood,” he said. Haitian police officials weren’t immediately available to comment on the accusation. But Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s office announced that Mr. Charles had resigned and been replaced by another top police official, Frantz Elbe. A senior Haitian official said Mr. Charles’ resignation was due to his inability to guarantee the prime minister’s participation Sunday in a patriotic ceremony which was marred by gunfire from local gangs.