A Ugandan government soldier shot dead six innocent people, an army official said Monday. 

“One of our soldiers killed people before he was also shot dead,” Deo Akiki, Uganda’s People’s Defense Force deputy spokesman, said in a statement.

He said a police officer and a fellow soldier were among the dead.

The incident took place Monday at a trading center in Ganda, Nansana Municipality in Wakiso District on the outskirts of the capital Kampala.

Police have identified the killer soldier as Dennis Owino. They confirmed that apart from killing the six people, he also wounded four others and they have been rushed to the hospital.

The errant soldier reportedly first killed a fellow soldier in the barracks after a quarrel before he moved out and started shooting at innocent civilians.

Jacob Mukwana, an eyewitness who survived being shot, said the soldier came walking from the barracks shooting at whomever he saw. He said that among those he shot and killed was a couple who was in a vehicle with four of their children

“He shot at the vehicle, killing the man and his wife. Two police officers tried to arrest him, but he shot one dead and injured the other seriously,” said Mukwana.

Mukwana said the soldier shot at him, but by a miracle, the bullet hit a nearby wall.

Brigadier Samuel Kabugo, commander of the 4th army brigade, regretted the incident.

“We are going to carry out investigations and establish why the soldier killed the people,” he said.

A bar owner in the trading center, Edward Nkusi, said the killer solder often ordered drinks at his bar.

“I think the soldier was drunk when he killed the people. He drinks from my place and other bars even during the day. He at times escapes from the barracks and drinks during the day,” he said.

It is common for soldiers to kill innocent people in Uganda. About a month ago, a jilted soldier killed three people including his estranged girlfriend in western Uganda./aa