In a dramatic turn of events, the Haitian National Police (PNH) announced on Thursday that they had fatally shot Wilfort Ferdinand, a former rebel leader, during a confrontation at a police checkpoint in Gonaïves. Ferdinand, also known by his alias ‘Ti Will,’ was reportedly involved in a shootout with officers who were executing a warrant in the Canal Bois area. The incident occurred when Ferdinand, traveling in a vehicle with tinted windows, approached the checkpoint, reversed, and opened fire on the police. Officers returned fire, resulting in the deaths of Ferdinand and an unidentified companion. Ferdinand was a suspected gang leader and a key figure in the 2004 uprising that led to the ousting of former President Jean Bertrand Aristide. The police operation was part of a broader effort to dismantle the Kokorat San Ras gang, notorious for its violent activities in the Artibonite region. Following the incident, heavy gunfire was reported in the area, and images of the confrontation circulated widely on social media. Ferdinand had previously led the Artibonite Resistance Front and was an ally of Guy Philippe, another prominent figure in Haiti’s turbulent political history, who was involved in the coup against Aristide in 2004.