An 18-year-old girl succumbed to gunshot wounds after she sustained injuries during an ethnic flare-up in Bangale town, pitting the Garre and Orma communities of Tana river county.
Fatuma Hussein succumbed to bullet wounds at the Garissa Level IV Hospital where she was rushed for treatment after the incident.
Tana North Police Commander, Mr Ali Ndiema said police were holding several people in connection with the incident after preliminary reports indicated that the girl was accidentally hit after licensed gun holder attempted to repulse a mob.
He said an irate mob was baying for the blood of a 17-year-old boy for allegedly defiling a girl from the rival community, when Hawes Maalim Issack shot the girl in his attempted to dispersed the agitated crowd.
Ndiema said the tension ran high in Bangale town after word went round that a boy from the Orma had defiled a girl from Garre community sparking fears of possible ethnic flare up after residents started protesting demanding the release of the suspect.
He said police later confiscated the firearm and put the gun holder in custody as tension remained high in the town prompting the security team to call for reinforcement from Madogo and a contingent of GSU Officers from Chardende base.
“At the moment the situation remains relatively calm, though tense, reinforcement from Madogo and a contingent of GSU Officers from Chardende base have arrived on the ground to quell any further conflict,’’ said the Tana – North police commander.
By Sadik Hassan
