(Bloomberg) -- A Missouri state representative’s daughter and son-in-law were among three people killed in an attack in Haiti, where armed gangs have tightened their grip on the country.

“My heart is broken in a thousand pieces. I’ve never felt this kind of pain,” Republican lawmaker Ben Baker wrote on his Facebook page. “Please pray for my family we desperately need strength.”

Baker’s daughter Natalie and her husband Davy Lloyd were ambushed as they left church on Thursday evening, according to Missions in Haiti Inc. 

The couple, both full-time workers for the faith-based group, were attacked and killed by gunmen in three vehicles, the group said. The details of the third person have not been released.

Baker is a father to four daughters with his wife, Naomi, and represents a district in southwest Missouri. David was the son of the Missions in Haiti founders, David and Alicia Lloyd.

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An email request for comment to Missions in Haiti and phone calls to Baker’s office in Missouri were not immediately returned. 

Haiti’s turmoil has escalated following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021. Last year, the United Nations authorized a Kenyan-led security force to intervene, but its deployment has faced delays due to logistical and financial challenges.

The US has also been drawn into the crisis, with Republican legislators criticizing President Joe Biden for approving a $60 million military aid package to Haiti this month without direct congressional consent. The UN reports that about 5.5 million Haitians require humanitarian aid.

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