A somber mood has engulfed Teso Progressive Academy in Ngora District after a female police officer allegedly shot dead a Senior Three student who was being arrested on accusations of theft.
A teacher Mr. Bernard Majja was also critically injured during the incident.
The deceased student, identified as Gabriel Okiror, reportedly resisted arrest after school authorities handed him over to police officers invited to handle a theft case.
The incident, which unfolded on Tuesday Morning, has raised urgent questions about police conduct and the use of firearms in school-related interventions.
Speaking exclusively to TNN-Online, the school director Mr. John Omugur recounted the harrowing moments leading up to the tragic shooting.
According to him, the situation began as a routine disciplinary process but quickly escalated into chaos.
“Okiror had a case of theft at school, and the head teacher contacted the police,” Mr. Omugur explained. “The officers came to school to pick the boy, but when they attempted to put him on a motorcycle, he resisted. He was very provocative and refused to cooperate.”
He added that the officers then requested the use of his vehicle to transport the student to Ngora Central Police Station.
“I opened my car for them, but the boy still refused to enter. That’s when I decided to call the District Police Commander (DPC) to explain the situation,” he continued.
Mr. Omugur said the DPC promised to send reinforcement, but thinking the police might not have a vehicle available, he chose to drive to the station himself to pick up officers who would help calm the situation.
However, what happened in his absence remains unclear and deeply troubling.
“As I waited at the station, I saw one of the officers walk to the back and hand her gun to the counter before walking away hurriedly. That frightened me, something felt wrong,” Omugur said. Alarmed, he immediately called the head teacher.
“It was then that I learned the boy had been shot. The teacher, Mr. Majja Bernard, was also injured in the scuffle. I don’t know exactly what happened because I was not present, but it appears the gun was cocked during the confrontation,” Omugur narrated.
Preliminary reports suggest that a confrontation occurred between the student and the officer who had remained behind at the school.
During the altercation, the firearm discharged, fatally wounding Okiror and injuring a teacher who had attempted to intervene.
The injured teacher, Mr. Majja Bernard, is currently admitted at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital in critical condition.
Parents, students, and community members have expressed outrage over the incident, condemning what they describe as excessive force and poor judgment by the police.
Several called for the immediate suspension and prosecution of the officer involved.
“We send children to school to be safe, not to be killed by those who should protect them,” a distraught parent Via Ngora WhatsApp Group said.
By press time, police had not yet released the identity of the officer involved, nor issued an official statement regarding the circumstances that led to the shooting.
Efforts to reach the Ngora DPC and South Kyoga Regional Police Spokesperson were unsuccessful.
Human rights advocates have since weighed in, urging the Uganda Police Force to conduct a swift and transparent investigation.
They argue that schools should never become scenes of armed confrontations involving minors.
“This case underscores the urgent need for clear guidelines on police engagement with students,” said a local activist. “Lethal force should never be an option when dealing with children in learning institutions.”
Meanwhile, Teso Progressive Academy has temporarily suspended classes as authorities launch inquiries and parents demand answers.
The body of the late Gabriel Okiror has been taken for post-mortem examination as part of ongoing investigations.
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It’s too bad
Not something good at all