Uganda: Police officer shoots 'aggressive' tortoise (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

A police officer in Uganda has reportedly shot a tortoise dead after being attacked by the "aggressive" creature.

The incident happened in the Nebbi district in the north of the country near the Congolese border. The officer - named as Charles Onegiu by the New Vision newspaper - said the animal entered his home and attacked him while he was enjoying a post-work cup of tea. "I tried to scare it but the tortoise became very aggressive. I took a stick to chase it but it instead became more violent," he told the paper. After attempting to fend off the tortoise with a plastic chair, he said he "instinctively" drew his firearm and shot it dead. A local Christian group later prayed for Onegiu, "before burning the dead reptile to ashes."

Contacted by New Vision, Nebbi district police commander Onesmus Mwesigwa said that his officer's extreme reaction to the attack may have been down to local superstitions "where people think 'somebody is after me'". After consulting local elders and police colleagues, Mwesigwa appealed for calm "from the residents and police officers, maintaining that their lives are not in danger as they may have assumed", New Vision reported.

Nervousness among local law enforcers could be explained by tribal clashes in the border area with DR Congo, which have lead to dozens of deaths in recent days, according to Al-Jazeera. Additionally, Uganda is currently in a heightened state of security following "specific threats" against the country's main Entebbe Airport.
***
more: http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-28197950

?

Yeah, I can totally see that.

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. You've got to read the original report - the officer was really playing the victim

“When it came out, I reached for my gun and shot it dead. It was a very big white tortoise. As I talk now, I am still scared because it is the first time I have seen such an incident happen in my life or heard of one,” he said.

“It was a wonderful morning for me after training the crime preventers for the sub-county on the basics of their jobs. Little did I know that a different chapter awaited me later at home,” he spoke of the unusual happening.

The incident left him traumatized and “stressed” and he felt like leaving his work station but consolation and encouragement from his colleagues, family and friends made him stay.
...
“But he consoled me and advised me to keep on duty,” said Onegiu, adding, “My father also came to talk and consoled me about the incident, but I’m still scared.”

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/657266-nebbi-policeman-attacked-by-tortoise.html

[Warren DeMontague]

2. Slow, sure. But MEAN!

[GOLGO 13]

3. Look out BobbyJoe!

It's coming right for us!