Haiti President Assassination: Haitian President Jovenel Moïse assassinated at home, first lady at hospital, US citizens among suspects

Haitian President Jovenel Moïse (right) with First Lady Martine Moïse (left)

Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was killed and his wife is in hospital when his home in the capital Port-au-Prince was stormed by a group of armed men in the early hours of Wednesday.

According to reports, the attack was launched by gunmen who told onlookers they were running a drug enforcement operation. Initial information suggests the attackers who spoke English and Spanish used high caliber weapons when they killed the president.

The First Lady of Haiti Martine Moïse has been hospitalized by the attack. She was flown to Miami Florida hospital for life-saving treatment.

Haiti's interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph says the killing of President Jovenel Moïse was "a hateful, inhumane and barbaric act."  He confirmed that a "highly trained and heavily armed group" carried out the attack.

An all-out hunt for the killers of the president.

Authorities say they killed four people connected to the assassination in a gun battle. At least six others now under arrest including two Americans. One of them James Solange who lives near Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  His alleged role still unclear.

New details are emerging of the brutal attack.

Video showing armed men outside the president's home before the assassination. 

Local reports say they tied up a maid and one other household worker before storming the president's bedroom shooting him 12 times. The first lady suffered three gunshot wounds.

The Associated press reports that one of the Americans who was arrested works security at the Canadian embassy in Port-au-Prince but there is still no word on a motive for the attack.

They have declared a state of emergency across the whole country.

The nation has seen a rise in violence, protests, and other forms of unrest over the past few months. Many are concerned with what will happen next in Haiti.

For the past two years Moïse, who was 53, had been ruling Haiti by decree after the country failed to hold elections. The opposition called for Moïse to step down insisting his term had legally expired.

U.N. Special Envoy for Haiti, Helen La Lime, says Prime Minister Claude Joseph will lead the nation until an election is held.

Elections are on track to be held later this year.