By Hou Akot Hou
A member of an organized force said to be wounded heroes who offered to provide security at a wedding ceremony shot himself dead after injuring four young girls in the process of firing bullets into the air in celebratory signal on Monday night at the party in Mangok-Lou Boma in Malualbai Payam, Aweil East County of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state.
The deceased soldier identified as Mou Atuer Mou, and a relative to the bride reportedly took his own life by the barrel of the gun after realizing his action under alcohol influence accidentally injured four young girls who were in attendance of the wedding carnival.
Late Atuer reportedly fired rounds of ammunitions into the air in a celebratory gesticulation which tragically resulted in the injuring of the four girls and he eventually claimed his own life thinking he had killed the girls according to the local authorities.
Daniel Aluat Yak, a police officer of Malualbai Payam said the deceased soldier is a relative of the bride who was among the organized forces known as wounded heroes who are stationed in the area that selected themselves to go and provide security to the celebrants.
“These are wounded soldiers who happen to be in the village with their weapons. They selected themselves to go and provide protection to the people in the party. In the process they got drank and the deceased started shooting the gun while celebrating. He was shooting using one hand and unfortunately the bullet felt on four children and he thought he had killed them and started running away into the bush where he took his own life,” Yak narrated.
Yak said he didn’t wait to find out whether he had killed them instantly but ran away and killed himself, adding that he is a relative of the bride and he felt ashamed of being asked why he injured the minors as he is the member of the bride’s family who were supposed not to shoot people.
The police officer said the four injured were rushed to the Malualkon hospital where they are receiving treatment.
Officer Yak said the three other suspects who were with the deceased who killed himself are being held at the Mangok Lou police station for investigation.
He then warned the public against organizing the bridal parties without involving the police.
“Never organize a wedding party without involving the police who could help in giving you proper protection,” he cautioned.
“Now that man is a relative of the girl whose marriage was being conducted and he got drunk and started shooting randomly in celebration till he almost killed the young girls. Now he had ended his own precious life for nothing. Never go for a wedding ceremony as an organized force without an official authorization and get drunk. It is not administrative,” he urged.