One person has been shot dead after residents of Choggu Manayili in the Northern Regional capital, Tamale attacked police officers on Wednesday, August 5,2020.

The police had been called by the chief of the area to rescue a suspected thief who was about to be lynched by the residents.

The mob turned on the police and attempted to stop them from rescuing the suspect.

The Northern Regional Crime Officer, Chief Superintendent Otuo Acheampong who narrated the incident to MyNewsGh.com, said the residents had tied the suspect with robes and were about the kill him, after they caught him with a cattle that he allegedly stole from the community.

According to him, the mob was angry that the police had come to rescue the alleged thief.

“They had succeeded in rescuing the suspected thief into the police van. And then the irate mob which had wanted to lynch him before the arrival of the police started to even to snatch the suspect from the police, and people started…even they fired and missiles were thrown at the police, and even one of the officers was hit in the hand”.

Superintendent Acheampong said, the victim was believed to have been hit by a stray bullet after the police fired warning shots in response to the attack by the mob.

"He was hit in the stomach and rushed to the Tamale Teaching hospital and later pronounced dead," the Crime Officer continued.

The police officers were able to rescue the suspect and there has not been any further arrest.