Gerry Andre, Jean's spokesperson in Haiti, also said that the artist was shot in the hand when getting out of a car to speak with him.
"He heard a gunshot, then he saw his right-hand palm was bleeding," Andre told CNN.
It is not yet clear if Jean was an intended target of the alleged shooting. The efforts of police are being thwarted because Jean has refused to speak to them thus far. Garry Desrosiers, the spokesman for the Haitian National Police, is claiming that Jean has not cooperated with their investigation. The police are also saying that Jean wasn't shot at all, and instead cut his hand with a piece of glass.
Jean was in Haiti to support the presidential campaign of Michel Martelly, a musician who is running against former first lady Mirlande Manigat.
"It was nothing," said Damien Merlo, a Martelly spokesperson. "He's fine and out and about getting out the vote for us."
Upon hearing that Wyclef had been shot, the headline obviously sent off alarm bells for millions around the world. Jean's towering presence within Haiti, along with the volatile political atmosphere likely lead some to wonder if Jean had been the target of an assassination attempt. The story is further complicated, however, by the fact that police are saying that Jean was never shot at all, which may explain why Wyclef didn't cooperate with their investigation:
"We met with the doctor who saw him and he confirmed Wyclef was cut by glass," said Vanel Lacroix, police chief in Petionville, where Jean is staying.
One could hardly imagine a political figure within the United States not cooperating with police after being shot on the campaign trail. I hope it's not the case that Jean made up the story about being shot, perhaps to bolster support, sympathy or attention for the Martelly campaign. If it is discovered that Jean has deliberately misled the public, his credibility could be permanently and irreparably damaged.
Whatever happened this weekend, I am glad to see that Wyclef is safe and recovering. He was supposed to be a guest on our AOL show a few months ago, but had to bail out after a turn of events during his own presidential bid. My hope is that Wyclef will continue to be a strong ambassador for Haiti, which is a nation that needs his leadership now more than ever before. While it is unfortunate that he might have nearly lost his life this weekend, I am sure Wyclef understands (as any strong leader should) that his mission in Haiti is more important than the life of any one person. He must keep marching forward.
As far as the inconsistencies in the stories about what happened to Jean, well, I'll deal with that bridge if I need to cross it. I hope he wasn't just being dramatic.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. To follow Dr. Boyce on Facebook, please click here.