According to a statement released by the Ministry of Interior, a low-ranking police officer mistakenly shot a 12-year old girl Saturday in the Boulaque El-Dakror district while he was chasing a registered criminal.
A fight started between a tuk-tuk driver and a registered criminal and two others joined the fight to defend the tuk-tuk driver. However, the registered criminal injured one of them with a blade.
The low-ranking police officer, who was reportedly passing by the place of the incident, intervened when he saw the criminal with the blade and a gun. The police officer was also injured by the criminal.
The police officer attempted to shoot the criminal as he tried to escape but the bullet hit a young girl instead.
The girl’s cousin, Ahmed Emad, told Daily News Egypt she was shot in the back while walking past the scuffle.
She is receiving medical care in Al-Qasr Al-Aini hospital and a report has already been filed against the police officer. The girl is currently stable despite her injuries however the family will continue the lawsuit against the officer, Emad said.
The Ministry of Interior confirmed to Daily News Egypt the low-ranking police officer and the registered criminal were both arrested and will be referred to the prosecution.
Citing a security source in the Giza security directorate, privately owned Al-Masry Al-Youm said the case against the police officer seems to be in his favour since he was just doing his job; testimonies from eyewitnesses corroborate with this statement.
