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Unknown Gunmen Target Loop Haiti Journalist

Sandra Lemaire

   LES CAYES, HAITI - Martine Isaac and Wilner Bossou contributed to this
   report from Port-au-Prince

   Luckson Saint Vil, a journalist for the multimedia news outlet, [1]Loop
   Haiti, was hungry after finishing work around 10 pm on August 1 so he
   decided to go buy a snack from a street vendor in the seaside town of
   Leogane, in Haiti's south. Shortly after leaving the food stand to head
   home, he felt something was not right with his car so he decided to
   stop on the side of the road to check his tire.

   "While I was kneeling on the ground checking my tire, I heard several
   gunshots," Saint Vil said in an audio message sent to colleagues and
   friends via WhatsApp.

   "My first reaction was to lay flat on my stomach - I didn't care that I
   might soil my work clothes," he said. "I spent a long while on the
   ground."

   He said a car and a motorcycle drove by while he was on the ground.
   When he felt it was safe to stand up, Saint Vil rose and inspected the
   car.

   There were 7 bullet holes: one grazed the wheel, two hit the driver's
   side front window, another hit the hood and three others hit the right
   side of the car.

   "I was shocked, I couldn't believe I had been shot at," the journalist
   said.

   Saint Vil considered calling local authorities to report the incident,
   but he thought perhaps it wasn't safe to remain in that location, so he
   drove off in case whoever had targeted him was still lurking. He
   decided to head home to Gressiers, a 10-15 minute drive from Leogane.

   "When I got home, I took photos of the car and sent them to Loop and to
   some journalist friends," he said. "I also called a [parliament] deputy
   and the local mayor who told me I should have stayed where the incident
   happened because driving off probably destroyed some of the evidence."

   Saint Vil said a police official came to meet him and took him to the
   police station where he gave an official statement, filled out some
   forms, and left his car and keys with them so they could investigate.

References

   1. http://www.loophaiti.com/

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