Gang members attack AP journalist under police guard in Port-au-Prince

On January 19, 2026, gang members in Port-au-Prince opened fire on a veteran Associated Press videographer who was filming from inside a Haitian National Police (PNH) armored vehicle during an active patrol. The attackers threw Molotov cocktails at the vehicle, setting it ablaze and forcing its occupants to flee. The journalist survived, but the incident represents a direct challenge to the already fragmented authority of Haiti's security forces.

The attack was not random. It occurred while the journalist was operating under the nominal protection of the state, embedded with a PNH unit in a capital where gangs now control an estimated 85% of territory. The willingness of armed groups to target international media personnel inside police vehicles signals a calculated demonstration of impunity, one that confirms the inability of Haiti's security institutions to guarantee safety even within their own operational perimeter.