A claimant of the Bugweri cultural throne has been shot dead in Mbale.
Inspector George Koire, a policeman attached to Mbale Central Police Station, says the Bugweri Cultural Throne claimant was shot dead this evening while attempting to rescue a family that had been taken hostage by a gunman in Mbale town.
Koire says one of the policemen deployed on a hostage rescue mission was also was shot at close range by the unidentified gunman, as he attempted to climb the wall to the house where the gunman is hiding.
His body has been taken to Mbale Hospital as the police continue to exchange heavy gunfire with the gunman.
One other policeman identified as Francis Masege, of Rapid Response Unit has also been shot and injured in the head.
By 6:30 p.m. the police had managed to rescue unidentified woman and her three children who had been taken hostage.
Heavy gunfire is continuing at the scene, as the police and the army use heavy machine gunfire to try and subdue the gunman.
