United States Closes Haiti Embassy Due to ‘Rapid Gunfire’

People were advised to avoid the area around the embassy, which is located in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince.

Police take cover from rocks thrown by demonstrators in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Aug. 7, 2023. Odelyn Joseph/AP Photo

The United States closed its embassy in Haiti on Aug. 8 due to people firing weapons nearby.

“The Embassy is closed today. All personnel are restricted to Embassy compounds until further notice due to gunfire in the vicinity of the Embassy,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement.