Three missionaries representing an Oklahoma-based organization were killed in a gang attack in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, the group confirmed on a Facebook post.
Missions in Haiti, Inc., said that Americans Davy and Natalie Lloyd and the group's Haitian director Jude Montis were killed around 9 p.m. Thursday.
The Facebook page for Missions in Haiti described a chaotic scene leading up to the missionaries' deaths. Before announcing their deaths, the group wrote on its Facebook page that a gang "went into full attack mode" and "shot all the windows out of the house and continue to shoot."
Natalie Lloyd is the daughter of Missouri State Rep. Ben Baker.
"My heart is broken in a thousand pieces. I’ve never felt this kind of pain. Most of you know my daughter and son-in-law Davy and Natalie Lloyd are full time missionaries in Haiti," Baker wrote. "They were attacked by gangs this evening and were both killed. They went to Heaven together. Please pray for my family we desperately need strength. And please pray for the Lloyd family as well. I have no other words for now."
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Earlier in May, Missions in Haiti reported worsening humanitarian conditions in the area.
"Gangs have taken control of even more area in and around Port au Prince. Thousands more people have been killed, kidnapped and/or displaced," the group wrote in its May 2024 newsletter. "The stories we hear daily really tear at our hearts and we are overwhelmed by the unimaginable needs and problems that the Haitian people are forced to live with every day. We are very thankful that our area has continued to be relatively calm. The gang leader in our area controls one of the 'nicer gangs' in Haiti. This gang works to keep the 'bad guys' out of our area and we pray that they will continue to be strong enough to keep some semblance of peace in this area."
Haiti has faced ongoing unrest in recent months. The State Department has issued a "do not travel" warning to the country. In March, the State Department assisted with getting U.S. citizens out of the nation.