Tragedy struck in Lukaya town, central Uganda, when an Arsenal football fan celebrating the team's 2-0 victory over Manchester United was shot dead, allegedly by a security guard.
The victim, identified as 30-year-old John Ssenyonga, was part of a jubilant crowd at a restaurant about 100 kilometers from Kampala. Another fan, Lawrence Mugejera, was injured in the incident and is receiving treatment in the hospital.
Witnesses report that the commotion began towards the end of the match when the restaurant's manager, angered by the noise from celebrating fans, ordered the guard to intervene. Attempts to quiet the crowd failed, and tensions escalated further when the building's power was turned off, prompting fans to make even more noise.
In response, the guard allegedly opened fire, discharging several shots. Ssenyonga was pronounced dead at the scene, while Mugejera suffered injuries.
Both the guard and the restaurant manager fled the scene and are currently being sought by authorities. Police have recovered a firearm believed to have been used in the shooting, according to regional police spokesperson Twaha Kasirye.
This incident is the latest in a series of violent altercations linked to football rivalries in Uganda. In October, an Arsenal fan stabbed a Manchester United supporter after a heated argument over match results. Earlier in January last year, a youth councillor was fatally stabbed in Kampala while intervening in a fight following Arsenal's loss to Manchester City. Just a week before that, another Arsenal fan was beaten to death in Adjumani in the West Nile region.
The incident has sparked widespread condemnation and calls for better crowd management during public football viewings.