Long Island's Haitian community is reacting to the assassination of Haiti's President Jovenel Moise.

Moise was assassinated at his home during the night in what is being called a bold and brutal attack.

According to the Haitian ambassador to the U.S., the attackers are believed to be mercenaries and well-trained killers.

Haiti’s communications secretary says police have arrested the “presumed assassins” of President Moïse. 

Haiti has been reeling from violence recently, and the acting prime minister declared a state of siege.

Moise had been in power for four years and because of his policies and reforms had been the target of protests for months.

"We're still hoping one day there will be democracy in Haiti but things have not been going this way for years alot of gun violence," says Maryse Emmanuel-Garcy, of the Haitian American Family of Long Island. "we need to have a system some kind of democratic system that we can follow..as a Haitan American we're witnessing what's happening in the US. the system helped."

Under the state of siege regime now in place Haitis' national borders are closed and martial law has been imposed.

Haiti's first lady was also shot in the attack. She was evacuated to a hospital in Miami and is in stable condition.