In Port-au-Prince, Haiti, more than 200 prisoners are on the run following Thursday’s mass escape from the Croix-des-Bouquets prison.

The BBC reports that 25 people died in the violent escape, including the prison director. Among the dead were also 6 prisoners. The rest were reportedly ordinary people.

A powerful gang leader, Arnel Joseph was killed just hours after escaping from Croix-des-Bouquets prison. Joseph, in ankle cuffs, was a passenger on a motorcycle that was flagged down at a checkpoint. According to the BBC, he pulled a gun on officers but was fatally shot by police. Joseph before his arrest in 2019, had been Haiti’s most-wanted gang leader.

While it’s unclear how the escape took place, initial reports read that more than 400 inmates had escaped. Frantz Exantus, Haiti’s Communications Secretary, said the facility had held more than 1 500 prisoners before the prison break.

Witnesses report having heard gunfire at about midday on Thursday. They say prisoners could then be seen running from the prison. Meanwhile. staff at a clothing store said they had been forced to give items to the escapees.

Exantus tweeted that 60 inmates had since been captured.

Umm Muhammed Umar