One person has been shot dead in Gomba district as Police quelled riots on Thursday.
The deceased has been identified as Vincent Sserugaya who is said to have posed a threat to the police officers that had responded to calm the situation.
According to SSP Francis Chemusto, the Police Spokesperson for Katonga region, the officers had responded to a distress call reporting some people burning car tyres in the middle of the road at Bukalamuli village, Kyegonza sub county in Gomba district.
“There were reports of this charged crowd stopping travelers and allegedly extorting money with menace from innocent citizens,” SSP Chemusto said in a statement released Friday.
He said that the officers who arrived at the scene found a charged and rioting group of people that were destroying property and burning car tyres in the middle of the newly constructed road.
It was during this violence that Sserugaya was reportedly shot dead.
Police says that he had dashed to his house which was nearby, drawn a panga and axe and charged at the police officers who were at the scene.
“In self defence, the officer shot and injured Mr Vincent Sserugaya who regrettably succumbed to the gun shot wound while he was being taken to Gombe hospital for treatment,” the Katonga Region spokesperson said.
The police officer who shot Sserugaya has since been arrested and he remains in Police detention.
Chemusto condemned the acts of recklessness and violence and appealed to the public to remain calm.
Police has in recent days cautioned Ugandans against engaging in riots which it says are unlawful and lead to disruption of normal business. It follows spates of riots that broke out in Kampala and parts of Mukono, Jinja and Mityana protesting the detention of MPs who were arrested in Arua last week.