A middle-aged man was shot and killed in broad daylight on Friday, July 25, at Asawase, a densely populated suburb of Kumasi, in yet another alarming incident that has heightened public concern over escalating violent crime in the area.
According to eyewitnesses, the victim was walking toward his car when two unknown assailants on a motorbike approached and opened fire, shooting him multiple times before fleeing the scene. The brazen attack occurred in the full view of stunned onlookers.
The victim, whose identity is being withheld until his family is formally notified, was pronounced dead at the scene. Police responded swiftly, cordoning off the area for preliminary investigations.
The gruesome murder has left residents shaken and fearful. The Asawase community, already on edge after a similar shooting earlier in the week that claimed the life of a respected traditional leader, is now grappling with the disturbing frequency of such attacks.
“This is the second time in a week,” said one visibly distressed resident. “If people can be killed in broad daylight, then nowhere is safe anymore.”
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has confirmed the incident and assured the public that a full-scale investigation is underway. In a brief statement, police pledged to intensify security operations and increase patrols in identified crime-prone zones.
“We are treating this matter with the urgency it deserves. No stone will be left unturned in our efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice,” the statement read.
Police have not yet disclosed a motive for the killing, and no arrests have been made as of press time.
Community leaders and civil society groups are calling on the government and security agencies to act decisively to address what many are describing as a spike in targeted killings involving motorbike-riding gunmen.
“These are not random crimes. They appear to be well-planned and executed with impunity,” said a local assembly member. “Our communities are living in fear, and we need action, not promises.”