A tragic incident unfolded in Bunyangabu District on the night of May 18, 2025, when a young man was shot dead by a police officer during a heated family conflict. The deceased, Kahiza Royi, a 26-year-old resident of Butukuru Cell, was reportedly armed with a panga and attempted to attack a police officer who had responded to a domestic violence report.
The drama began earlier that evening at around 8:00 p.m., when Bagonza Doreen Stephen, a 66-year-old peasant from Butukuru, rushed to Rubona Police Station to report that his son, Kahiza Royi, had threatened to harm his stepmother. Bagonza had just returned from a big introduction ceremony to introduce his new wife, which appears to have triggered anger in his son. The deceased reportedly stormed the home armed with a panga, ready to attack the woman.
The officer on duty, PC Wabwire Emmanuel, a 25-year-old police constable attached to Rubona Police Station, accompanied Bagonza back to the home to intervene. According to the report, as soon as they arrived at the compound, Royi charged out of the house wielding the panga. He allegedly slashed at the officer’s AK-47 rifle multiple times—once at the muzzle and twice at the upper hand guard.
In response, the officer reportedly fired warning shots into the air in an attempt to scare off Royi. However, the deceased continued to chase the officer with the weapon. Left with no other option, the officer then shot him, leading to his death on the spot.
Investigations reveal that Royi had long-standing issues with his father, especially regarding his mother, who had divorced Bagonza 33 years earlier. The introduction of a new wife appears to have rekindled old wounds, leading to the violent confrontation.
The police team that responded included officers from the homicide department, K9 unit, general duties, and crime intelligence. The scene was quickly cordoned off, and the body was taken to Buhinga Hospital for a postmortem. The panga used by the deceased was still being searched for at the time of the report. The officer’s rifle, which still had 23 bullets left out of the original 30, was recovered and kept as an exhibit.
The officer is believed to have acted in self-defence, and the investigation is still ongoing to gather more evidence and witness statements.
This shocking incident highlights the dangers officers face while handling domestic disputes and the painful reality of unresolved family conflicts turning violent.
