Mass Shooting in Bambala Town, Grand Cape Mount County Leaves One Injured, Several Flee for Safety
MONROVIA: A disturbing outbreak of gunfire unfolded in Bambala Town, Kporpa District, Grand Cape Mount County last evening, leaving one individual wounded and compelling numerous residents to seek safety in the surrounding bushes.
As per reports by journalist in the area, the turmoil originated at the residence of incumbent legislator Bob Sheriff. One person suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the back and is presently under medical care at Sinjey’s Hospital.
Rogers highlighted the concerning fact that acquiring firearms appears all too easy in the entire Porkpa District, with single-barrel guns being commonplace. Urging governmental intervention, he conveyed that many people, particularly in the district headquarters of Bambala, had spent the night in the forest to evade potential danger.
Porkpa District, proximate to the Sierra Leone Border, has a troubling history of violence stemming from comparable shooting incidents, primarily attributed to the widespread availability of single-barrel guns.
The current disturbance traces back to Idrissa Mansaray, who had initially supported Bob Sheriff, but has now nominated his daughter, Bintu Massalay, as a rival candidate from the ruling party to contest against Sheriff. The National Elections Commission had voiced concerns over Bintu Massalay’s age eligibility and her name changed from Mansaray to Massalay.
The already heated atmosphere was further exacerbated when President George Weah visited the county and publicly endorsed Bintu Massalay as his favored candidate.
“President Weah told the people of Porkpa District to support Ms. Bintu Massalay as his candidate in the elections, and the supporters of Lawmaker Bob Sheriff became disenchanted, fearing that with the president’s support for Ms. Massalay, she might have an advantage over their candidate in the elections. This prompted the shooting incident yesterday evening, leading to people fleeing into the bushes for refuge,” Rogers was quoted by FrontPage Africa.
The incident occurred on market day in Bambala, stranding visitors from other towns and forcing them to seek sanctuary in the forest, leaving the district’s populace in a state of fear.
Rogers called for the government’s intervention, appealing for the dispatch of security forces to reinstate peace in the region.
Meanwhile, the Liberia National Police (LNP) has issued a statement announcing the dispatch of a Special Elections Investigative Team to Grand Cape Mount County. The Joint Security, responsible for election security, has established a “Special Election Violence Investigation Team” to scrutinize instances of election-related violence during the upcoming elections. This team has been dispatched to Bambala District, Grand Cape Mount County, to probe the reported shooting incident from the previous day, which resulted in injuries.
The statement further emphasized that the team would engage with local authorities and eyewitnesses to ascertain the facts surrounding the incident and ensure accountability for those responsible. Furthermore, the Joint Security has mobilized teams from the Police Support Unit and Emergency Response Unit to restore law and order and uphold peace in Bambala, Grand Cape Mount County.
Concluding the statement, the LNP urged the public to remain composed, with the promise of regular updates from the Special Joint Security Media Team. The statement sternly cautioned citizens against participating in violent activities, underscoring the Joint Security’s unwavering commitment to quell any actions that could jeopardize the state’s peace and stability.
