Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, 53, was assassinated in his home late Tuesday night, according to various reports, and his wife suffered bullet wounds during the attack.
She remains hospitalized at the time of this reporting.
His murder takes place against a backdrop of horrific, ongoing violencein Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, perpetuated by at least 95 armed gangs carrying out acts of arson, assault, murder, and shootings.
What are the details?
A statement from interim Prime Minster Claude Joseph revealed that an unidentified group stormed Moïse's home and killed him.
Joseph condemned the attack, saying it was an "odious, inhuman, and barbaric act."
According to reports, some of the attackers were described as Spanish-speaking.
"A group of individuals who have not been identified, some of whom were speaking Spanish, attacked the private residence of the President of the Republic and fatally injured the Head of State," Joseph said in a statement. "All measures have been taken to ensure the continuity of the State and to protect the Nation. Democracy and the Republic will win out."
In February, large protests took place in the country questioning the legitimacy of Moïse's presidency. The nation missed its 2018 election, as Moïse said the country was too unstable to hold free and fair elections, and he continued serving as president.
That same month, Moïse said that his security detail foiled an assassination attempt against him.
"I thank my head of security at the palace," he said at the time. "The goal of these people was to make an attempt on my life. ... That plan was aborted."
This is a breaking story and will be updated as events warrant.
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