The afternoon of Tuesday (January 28) in Ntinda, Kampala, started like any other—busy streets, honking cars, and traders calling out to potential customers.

But in a matter of seconds, the usual hum of commerce was shattered by gunfire.

It began at Ntinda Shopping Centre , where a man named Daniel Echodu, the owner of a Forex Bureau, spotted a group of men he believed had robbed him months earlier. 

His memory was sharp—back on August 23, 2024, he had lost Shs 23,400,000, two Apple watches, important land agreements, UAP insurance cards, and business documents when thieves broke into his vehicle. 

Now, here they were again, right in front of him.

Without wasting a moment, Echodu pulled out his phone and called the police. 

“Upon receiving the information, the police dispatched a team to verify the information and arrest the suspects,” said Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Patrick Onyango.

“When the team arrived at the scene, the suspected thieves sped away in their car” – a Toyota Harrier (registration UBQ 618M).

The police didn’t hesitate. An Officer gave chase.

Then—gunfire.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!” Three shots rang out as officers fired at the fleeing car’s tires, hoping to stop it in its tracks. 

People screamed and scattered, shopkeepers dived behind counters, and boda boda riders abandoned their bikes, ducking for cover.

“Despite the police deflating their tires, the suspects continued driving until they abandoned their vehicle on Commercial Road and fled on foot,” said Onyango.

Escape

By the time police reached the car, the suspects were long gone. 

Onyango said police searched the abandoned vehicle and discovered a stash of tools often used by criminals —master keys, a number plate fixer, breaking implements, and even a rolled stick of opium. 

Police also found a black laptop bag, a power bank, and a pair of fake number plates (UBN 127F), suggesting the car itself might have been stolen.

As a crowd cautiously re-emerged from their hiding spots, police towed the vehicle to Ntinda Police Station. 

The operation isn’t over—the suspects are still out there, with police vowing to track them down.

In the aftermath, questions arose. Had the gunfire been necessary? Could innocent bystanders have been caught in the crossfire? The police defended their actions, stating that the suspects posed a threat and had to be stopped.