Does viral video show Haitian gang eating human body parts? Truth behind the incident

Amid escalating gang violence in Haiti, a disturbing video has surfaced on social media, showing an alleged gang member engaging in cannibalism

Published on: Mar 11, 2024, 11:33:06 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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Amid escalating gang violence in Haiti, a disturbing video has surfaced on social media, showing an alleged gang member engaging in cannibalism. “Disturbing footage of the Haitian cannibal gang eating body parts of one of their victims as he cooks in the fire,” an Instagram post reads. The same video has been shared across other social media platforms, including X.

FILE - Youths and members of the gang led by Jimmy Cherizier, alias Barbecue, a former police officer who heads a gang coalition hang out during a march to demand justice for slain Haitian President Jovenel Moise, in the La Saline neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, July 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File) (AP)

The video shows a man chewing on something that looks like a human finger. He then proceeds to tear flesh out of the leg of a person seen burning.

The truth behind the video

The video has not been independently verified by any news agency. However, according to Times Now, agencies on social media have revealed that the video is two years old and has nothing to do with the current unrest. Although the incident may be true, it is not related to the current situation in the Caribbean nation. One user shared the video with the caption, “It turns out that this video is from over 2 YEARS ago of a battle between the Gran Grif and Ti Mepri gangs in the Artibonite Valley. It has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with Jimmy "Barbecue" Cherizier or today's uprising. The man pictured did this gruesome act to terrorize his rivals.” The post added that the reports came from journalists who covered the Haiti situation for years.

The United States said that it has airlifted non-essential embassy staff from Haiti as gang violence worsened. Americans have reportedly boosted security at their mission in the capital, Port-au-Prince.

This comes after the airport, police stations and prisons were attacked by gangs this month. The aim is to get Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry removed. What began as a three-day state of emergency has now been extended by a month.

"Heightened gang violence in the neighbourhood near US embassy compounds and near the airport led to the State Department's decision to arrange for the departure of additional embassy personnel," the embassy posted on social media.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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