At least 29 people in Liberia, including 11 children and a pregnant woman, have died following a stampede of worshippers at a Christian worship service in the nation’s capital.
The stampede occurred around 9 p.m. Jan. 19 as hundreds gathered in a densely populated area of the nation’s capital, Monrovia, for a crusade. According to local officials, a gang armed with knives attacked some of the worshippers, causing the crowd to panic.
Police spokesman Moses Carter told The Associated Press that one person has been arrested. The Liberian Red Cross and Disaster Management Agency were set up to assist families whose loved ones were injured or killed in the melee.
Liberian President George Weah visited the scene Jan. 20 and declared three days of national mourning. Weah called for stricter regulations on large religious gatherings for safety reasons, the AP reported.
Share with others: