Ghanaian Premier League player killed in suspected armed robbery attack on team bus

Ghana's national flags fly at half staff in Accra, Ghana, Friday, July 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Christian Thompson )

ACCRA, Ghana — Dominic Frimpong of Ghanaian Premier League club Berekum Chelsea was killed after the team’s bus was attacked by a group of suspected armed robbers, the country’s soccer association said Monday.

The incident happened on Sunday as Berekum Chelsea was returning from its game against Samartex in Samreboi in southern Ghana, the club said in a statement.

“Masked men welding guns and assault rifles started shooting at our bus as the driver tried to reverse. The players and staff fled into near by bushes to take cover,” the statement read.

The club said one of the players was badly injured and receiving medical attention at a nearby hospital.

The Ghanaian Football Association later said 20-year-old winger Dominic Frimpong was reportedly killed in the incident.

“This tragic incident is not only a huge loss to Berekum Chelsea but also to Ghana football as a whole. Dominic was a promising young talent whose dedication and passion for the game embodied the spirit of our league,” the governing body said in a statement.

The GFA added it would strengthen security measures for clubs traveling for domestic competitions.

In 2023, another Ghanian Premier League team’s bus, Legon Cities, was attacked by suspected armed robbers, though no injuries were reported.

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Edward Acquah and Mark Banchereau, The Associated Press

Banchereau reported from Dakar, Senegal.