Students killed, injured in Haiti job stampede

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- A student was killed and 23 people were hurt when job applicants stormed Haiti's police academy during a recruiting drive, police said Wednesday.

Authorities used tear gas and riot batons on thousands of job hunters who crashed through the police academy gates and past French guards.

U.S. Marines responded quickly, helping to control the crowd and blocking the academy entrance with Humvees mounted with machine guns.

Commissioner Jean-Yonel Trecile, a police spokesman, praised the French troops for helping to restore order and said "If it were not for the gendarmes it would have been worse."

Jerry Prophete, 23, the dead student was trampled, Trecile said. Among the 23 injured, eight required hospital treatment, he said.

Trecile denied the stampede was caused by applicants angry that police from the elite riot squad were taking bribes to allow candidates to enter.

He said up to 4,000 applicants showed up on Monday and the numbers swelled to 15,000 on Tuesday.

The recruiting drive has been postponed until next Monday, when applicants will be divided among three locations and by the first letter of their last names.

Haiti's interim government began the drive to replenish a demoralized force that fled before a rebel advance in February. Hundreds have deserted, some fearing reprisal attacks because of their loyalties to ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

About 150 officers were fired last week for abandoning their posts and ethics violations by a U.S.-backed interim government which is supported by the U.S.-led multinational force.

Officials estimate only about 2,000 officers remain and the government wants to build the force to 6,000 by next year.

Most of the impoverished Caribbean country's 8 million people are without jobs and live on less than $1 a day.