[kellyhound]

The town of Agona Amenfi in Ghana's Western Region had gathered for a celebratory sod-cutting ceremony to construct a new maternity ward for the local health center.

The event was temporarily delayed when organizers realized the ceremonial hoe needed for the ground-breaking had been left behind at the chief's palace.

A palace messenger was sent back to retrieve the tool. Upon arrival, he encountered the suspect, identified as a local royal, who was dressed in a traditional smock adorned with protective talismans and charms.

The suspect blocked access and violently attacked the messenger with a cutlass, inflicting multiple wounds.

Officers from the Ghana Police Service rushed to the palace following emergency calls. Police repeatedly ordering the man to drop his weapon. The suspect ignored commands and warning shots, even attempting to advance toward the officers and the gathered crowd.

The standoff was prolonged because some onlookers and the suspect reportedly believed his traditional protective charms made him immune to gunfire.

To safely neutralize the threat without taking a life, an officer deliberately shot the suspect in the hand. This forced him to drop the machete, allowing officers to overpower and secure him.

Both the wounded palace messenger and the shot suspect were transported to a medical facility for treatment. Their injuries are not reported to be life-threatening.

The Ghana Police Service has taken the suspect into custody and launched an official investigation into the assault and the broader context of local chieftaincy tensions that may have fueled his actions.