A fan of the English football club, Arsenal, has been shot dead by a security guard for celebrating the team’s victory over Manchester United at a restaurant in Lukaya town, Uganda.
The victim, identified as 30-year-old John Ssenyonga, died at the scene, while another long-term Arsenal fan, Lawrence Mugejera, who was hit by a stray bullet, was taken to hospital for treatment.
Ssenyonga’s death was announced on Thursday by a popular media house, which disclosed that the deceased died at the scene.
As gathered, the incident happened after the restaurant manager was angered by the noise the jubilant supporters were making and asked the guard to intervene. However, the crowd did not heed the guard’s warning, causing him to open fire on the large crowd, resulting in other fans sustaining various degrees of injuries.
“It happened towards the end of the match, which Arsenal won 2-0. The owner switched off the power in the restaurant, angering the fans, who responded by making even more noise. It was then that the guard allegedly opened fire, firing several shots,” an eyewitness said.
According to reports, both the guard and the manager are on the run after the incident, with the police looking for them.
Reacting to the incident, the regional police spokesman, Twaha Kasirye, noted that the enforcement agency had recovered a gun at the scene while urging fans to control their excitement.
“We condemn the incident and we ask anyone with information that can help the police to bring the suspect to book to speak up,” he said.
