A US missionary couple, Natalie Lloyd, 21, and her husband David, 23, were among three people killed in Haiti amid ongoing gang violence.

They, along with 20-year-old Jude Montis, a Haitian, were ambushed by gunmen after leaving a church. The deaths were confirmed by Natalie’s father, Missouri State Senator Ben Baker, on Facebook.

The couple, married in 2022, were part of Missions in Haiti, which confirmed Montis as the third victim.

According to Missions in Haiti, the group was attacked by two separate armed gangs.

The initial attack involved gunmen in three vehicles, and a subsequent group arrived, leading to a shootout that trapped the missionaries in a house.

Despite the gang shooting at the house for hours, all three were confirmed dead later, BBC reported.

The US State Department acknowledged the deaths and offered condolences, while Missouri Governor Mike Parson called the news “heart-breaking.”

The White House urged the swift deployment of a Kenyan-led multinational force to stabilize Haiti, with President Joe Biden supporting this expedited action.

Written by B.C. Begley