Security was heightened at the funeral for three police officers who were killed in the line of duty, at the Police Academy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. The officers were killed by gang members in a reported ambush in the capital on Jan. 20.

A former police officer named Jimmy Cherizier, better known as Barbecue, leads what the international community says is one of the most dangerous gangs in the world: the G9 Family and Allies.

Cherizier dismisses the claims, saying he is a "revolutionary," fighting corruption in the government.

“I’m not a thief. I’m not involved in kidnapping. I’m not a rapist. I’m just carrying out a social fight,” Cherizier told The Associated Press.Haiti has been struggling with rampant violence and economic fallout for years.

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