Gunfire prompts Biden's UN ambassador to abruptly leave Haitian president's funeral

• Biden's UN ambassador abruptly left the funeral for Haiti's president amid unrest surrounding the ceremony.
• There was reportedly gunfire heard, prompting the US delegation to leave within 30 minutes.
• The assassination of Jovenel Moïse has pushed Haiti into a deeper crisis after years of struggles.

The US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, abruptly departed a funeral for Haitian President Jovenel Moïse on Friday after gunfire was reportedly heard.

Thomas-Greenfield and the rest of the US delegation left the funeral after less than 30 minutes, per the New York Times.

"The presidential delegation is safe and accounted for in light of the reported shootings outside of the funeral," White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Friday.

"We are deeply concerned about unrest in Haiti," Psaki said.

Protestors clashed with police outside of the ceremony on Friday, per Reuters, prompting riot gas to be deployed.

Moïse was assassinated by a hit squad of foreign mercenaries in early July, pushing an already embattled, struggling nation into an even deeper crisis. There are still many open questions surrounding his shocking killing, though Haitian authorities have arrested over two dozen people in connection to the assassination - including two US citizens.

The situation in Haiti has presented a new foreign policy challenge for the Biden administration, which has so far rebuffed a request from the Haitian government for US troops to be sent in to help quell the unrest. The administration did, however, bolster security at the US embassy after Moïse's killing.

"We're only sending American Marines to our embassy," President Joe Biden said earlier this month. "The idea of sending American forces to Haiti is not on the agenda."

A new prime minister, Ariel Henry, was sworn-in on Tuesday. Henry had been tapped to be the new prime minister only days before Moïse was killed. In the initial aftermath of the killing, Henry and then-Prime Minister Claude Joseph both claimed to be the legitimate prime minister. Joseph ultimately agreed to step down, and the US has applauded Haiti over the transition.

"Our delegation is here to bring a message to the Haitian people: You deserve democracy, stability, security, and prosperity, and we stand with you in this time of crisis," Thomas-Greenfield said in a statement on Friday. "The formation of a new government is a positive step, and it is a necessary first step as part of a broad and inclusive dialogue that responds to the needs of the Haitian people and begins the work of restoring Haiti's democratic institutions."

Thomas-Greenfield went on to emphasize that one key task before the new government "will be to create the conditions for free and fair legislative and presidential elections as soon as feasible."

National security advisor Jake Sullivan in a statement on Friday urged Haiti's leaders to "be clear that their supporters must refrain from violence."

"The United States will continue to provide requested assistance, including equipment and training, to the Haitian National Police and the Government of Haiti amid ongoing security challenges," Sullivan added, going on to say that the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security are assisting Haitian authorities in the investigation into Moïse's killing and that the US will continue to collaborate with international partners to bring those responsible to justice.