Two American Christian missionaries, Davy and Natalie Lloyd, were killed in Haiti on Thursday in a gang attack, according to Missouri State Representative Ben Baker, Natalie's father.
Two American Christian missionaries, Davy and Natalie Lloyd, were brutally killed in Haiti on Thursday in a gang attack, leaving their loved ones devastated and triggering widespread condemnation.
According to Missouri State Representative Ben Baker, Natalie's father, the Lloyds were shot and killed at around 9 p.m. on Thursday. The U.S. State Department has since recovered the bodies of the slain missionaries.
"My heart is broken in a thousand pieces. I've never felt this kind of pain," Baker wrote in a heartbreaking Facebook post. "They went to heaven together."
The Lloyds were full-time missionaries serving in Haiti through Missions In Haiti, a nonprofit Christian ministry founded by David and Alicia Lloyd in 2000. Davy and Natalie joined the mission after their marriage in June 2022.
Missions In Haiti reported that the Lloyds and several children were attending a youth group gathering at church on Thursday evening when they were ambushed by a gang in three trucks. Davy was taken hostage and severely beaten. The gang then stole the mission's vehicles and looted valuables.
As the situation unfolded, another gang arrived at the scene, leading to a shootout with the initial attackers. Davy, Natalie, and another individual named Jude remained trapped inside the house, communicating with Missions In Haiti via Starlink satellite internet.
Tragically, Missions In Haiti lost contact with the missionaries shortly after, and hours later, they confirmed that Davy, Natalie, and Jude had been killed in the attack.
The Baker/Lloyd family has set up a GoFundMe page to support them through this unimaginable tragedy. The page has raised over $10,000 towards a $20,000 goal.
Former President Donald Trump expressed his condolences on Truth Social, writing, "Such a tragedy. Haiti is totally out of control." He called for the swift apprehension of the killers.
Haiti, already grappling with poverty, natural disasters, and political turmoil, has plunged into further chaos since February due to rampant gang violence. Gangs have targeted police stations, burned property, and paralyzed the country's largest seaport, exacerbating the food and medication shortages.
Over 1.4 million Haitians face imminent famine, according to the U.N.'s World Food Program. The violence has also claimed the lives of over 2,500 people so far in 2024.
The Biden administration has committed $300 million to a multinational force of 1,000 police officers from Kenya to restore law and order in Haiti. The U.S. has also evacuated hundreds of citizens amidst the unrest.
The U.S. is working with international partners to prepare for the deployment of the foreign troops. The U.S. has flown military planes over Haiti to support the efforts.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
