(Juba) — A second year student at the University of Juba was shot and killed on Tuesday evening in Eden residential area by unidentified armed assailants, in what appears to be a violent robbery incident.
The victim, Dominic Deng Kuch Deng, was studying in the College of Natural Resources and originally came from Mangok Lou in Aweil East County, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.
According to a family member who spoke to Aweil News Agency, Dominic and his cousin were ambushed at approximately 9:30 p.m. by a group of unknown individuals armed with machetes and at least one pistol. The two were returning home from a location they regularly visited in the neighbourhood.
“We were together at our usual place. On their way home, they met robbers coming towards them carrying pangas. They initially avoided them, but then the robbers suddenly opened fire,” the source said. “Dominic was shot in the head, and his cousin managed to escape.”
The family confirmed that the incident was immediately reported to security forces, but as of Wednesday morning, no arrests had been made. The motive for the attack remains unclear, though it is suspected to be criminal in nature.
In recent months, Juba has seen a rise in violent crimes, particularly targeting young people, students,and residents of densely populated areas. Robberies, armed assaults, and gang related violence have been reported in several neighbourhoods.
In late June, security agencies in Juba launched a large scale operation to address increasing crime. Authorities arrested more than 600 suspected gang members during coordinated raids across the city. The crackdown was aimed at dismantling informal armed groups blamed for much of the street-level violence.
Despite these efforts, many residents say that the city remains unsafe after dark. Some areas, including Eden, continue to experience sporadic incidents of armed robbery and violence. Citizens have called on law enforcement to increase night patrols and improve community policing.