Seven individuals have been arrested in connection with a deadly stampede that occurred during an annual cultural festivity at Haiti's Laferrière Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The tragic incident, which took place on Saturday, initially reported 30 fatalities, a number which has since been revised to 25. Among those arrested are five local police officers and two employees of the National Heritage Preservation Institute, which oversees the country's landmarks.
Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé stated that the stampede occurred during a tourist event attended by many young people at the site in Milot. Following the tragic event, he announced a three-day national mourning for the victims starting Tuesday.
Milot's Mayor Wesner Joseph claimed that his administration had no prior knowledge of any planned activities at the citadel and stated that a local DJ had invited people via TikTok. Additional accounts from site engineer Jean-Hérold Pérard indicate that one of the entrances was closed for collecting fees, leading to chaos when people began to push in as it started to rain.
Pérard reported that some visitors died of asphyxiation, especially after teargas was allegedly deployed amid the crowd panic. The Citadelle Laferrière is historically significant as it was built shortly after Haiti's independence from France and remains a symbol of the nation's resilience. This tragic event occurs amidst the ongoing crisis of gang violence in Haiti, which has resulted in numerous fatalities across the country.
Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé stated that the stampede occurred during a tourist event attended by many young people at the site in Milot. Following the tragic event, he announced a three-day national mourning for the victims starting Tuesday.
Milot's Mayor Wesner Joseph claimed that his administration had no prior knowledge of any planned activities at the citadel and stated that a local DJ had invited people via TikTok. Additional accounts from site engineer Jean-Hérold Pérard indicate that one of the entrances was closed for collecting fees, leading to chaos when people began to push in as it started to rain.
Pérard reported that some visitors died of asphyxiation, especially after teargas was allegedly deployed amid the crowd panic. The Citadelle Laferrière is historically significant as it was built shortly after Haiti's independence from France and remains a symbol of the nation's resilience. This tragic event occurs amidst the ongoing crisis of gang violence in Haiti, which has resulted in numerous fatalities across the country.
