A soldier suspected of opening fire in Loro town council, Oyam district, on Tuesday evening, resulting in the death of one person, has been apprehended in Lira city. The alleged gunman, identified as No RA/239288 PTE Julius Ecee, serves in the Special Forces Command at Kaweweta Uganda Special Forces School in Nakaseke district.
The incident claimed the life of 19-year-old Isaac Okola Kizito, one of the three injured victims, who passed away on Thursday morning while receiving medical attention at St John XXIII Hospital Aber. Okola, a resident of Olangit ‘A’ Village, Ogwete sub-county in Otuke district, belonged to the Abwor clan headed by Col Rtd Tony Otoa.
The lone gunman, dressed in military uniform, targeted a hardware shop in Loro town council on a robbery mission. Despite obtaining only shillings 67,000 from the counter as the shop attendant escaped, the perpetrator panicked and opened fire, inadvertently shooting three people hiding inside a maize mill.
In addition to Okola’s unfortunate demise, the other two injured victims remain hospitalized. Innocent Obwol, a 25-year-old boda-boda rider within Loro Town Council, and RA 278021 PTE Emmanuel Okello, a 25-year-old soldier on leave, sustained injuries during the incident.
Loro town council LC3 chairperson Robert Ekwaro reported that the suspect allegedly took the gun with 90 rounds of ammunition and discarded it at the home of the LC1 chairperson in his home village, Wang gicol village, Acaba sub-county in Oyam district.
Authorities received information that a team from the Special Forces Command was in Oyam, searching for the soldier who had reportedly escaped from his unit and stolen a motorcycle. The Police region spokesperson, Patrick Jimmy Okema, confirmed the arrest of the suspect, stating that he is an army deserter formerly attached to Kaweweta in Nakaseke.
