Wyclef Jean Shot On Eve Of Haiti's Elections
PORT AU PRINCE (CBS4) - As thousands of Haitians prepared to go to the polls Sunday to pick a new president, hip hop star Wyclef Jean was rushed to a hospital late Saturday night after he was shot in the hand.
Joe Mignon, with Jean's Yele Foundation, said the singer was shot around 11 p.m. in the city of Delmas, just outside Port-au-Prince. He did not offer any additional details. Jean was treated and released from the hospital early Sunday morning.
Jean is supporting presidential candidate, and fellow musician, Michel "Sweet Mickey" Martelly who is running against former first lady, and political fixture, Mirlande Manigat. Haiti's nearly five million voters will also decide on senators and deputies in 76 runoff legislative races.
Last week, Jean participated in a Martelly concert in downtown Port-au-Prince that sought to win over voters.
"We are happy that Wyclef is okay but we continue to pray for him and for a peaceful and fair election today in Haiti," the Rev. Al Sharpton, who has worked with Jean on educational issues and bringing aid to Haiti after the devastating January 2010 earthquake, said in a statement.
The statement also quoted Jimmy Rosemond, who it said was accompanying Jean on his current trip to Haiti.
"It is clear that enemies of progressive change in Haiti are behind the shooting of Wyclef -- those that don't want to accept that a monumental change is inevitable for the betterment of the Haitian people," Rosemond said. "This incident will not deter those of us that see the election as crucial to the country's future."
Lines formed before dawn Sunday outside polling stations as many people sought to cast ballots before church. As usual in Haiti, many polls did not open as scheduled at 6 a.m. Workers could be seen setting up ballot boxes and other materials.
The winner of Sunday's election faces major challenges, among them the fact that nearly a million people are still homeless after the devastating January 2010 earthquake.
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