One dead, seven others injured as security guard opens fire at galamsey site

A woman is reported to have died from a gunshot at a mining site, with several others severely injured.

According to a report by myjoyonline.com, at a galamsey site in Nyameadom, a member of a local security group guarding the area opened fire into a mining pit, resulting in the death of a woman and injuries to others.

The women were reportedly working in the illegal mining pit when the security guard, employed to protect the site, attempted to fire a warning shot to disperse them. Unfortunately, the shot went astray, hitting the woman instead.

Eyewitnesses stated that the incident triggered a violent response from the locals, who set fire to an excavator belonging to the miners in protest.

Two of the injured victims, who sustained serious gunshot wounds, have been transferred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi for specialized treatment.

The remaining five are receiving medical care at the Mankranso Government Hospital.

The mining site, reportedly operated by Chinese nationals, employs local Ghanaian security guards. The women are believed to have entered the pit in hopes of collecting leftover materials to wash and search for gold, believing the Chinese miners were preparing to leave the area.

AM/KA

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