Police inspector shot dead by 10-year-old son

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A 10-year-old son has allegedly shot dead his father, who is a police inspector in Anambra State, Nigeria’s South-east.

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The incident happened on Sunday in Awka, the state capital.

The police inspector has been identified as Okolie Amechi.

Witnesses told PREMIUM TIMES that Mr Okolie was on duty at a Polaris Bank branch in Awka when his three children, including the 10-year-old son, visited him.

This newspaper could not mention the names of the children who visited the inspector because they were minors.

One of the witnesses, who asked not to be named, said the 10-year-old decided to play with his father’s AK-47 rifle during the visit.

It is unclear if the father was unaware the child was playing with the rifle.

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Police speak

The police in Anambra State have confirmed the incident.

The police spokesperson in the state, Tochukwu Ikenga, said in a statement on Monday that what happened was an “accidental discharge.”

“The son, unaware of the state of the AK 47 rifle assigned to the Inspector, pulled the trigger and struck the Inspector on the back and his second child on the hand.

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“Regrettably, Inspector Amechi was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty at the hospital, while the second victim was said to be responding to treatment,” said Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police.

The police spokesperson said the AK-47 rifle had been recovered and that the body of the inspector had been deposited in the morgue.

He said the police authorities in Anambra State have condoled with the family and friends of the deceased inspector.

The police wished the injured victim a quick recovery.