LUSAKA, Zambia — Police in Zambia are investigating an incident where a soccer coach fired eight gunshots into the air at the end of a game after his team lost.
Zesco Chipata FC’s Esau Chalo Zulu fired three shots while standing on the field at the end of the match, and then five more near his team’s vehicle, which was parked at the edge of the field.
The incidents occurred after his third-tier team’s 1-0 loss to local rivals Prison Leopards Chipata FC in Zambia’s Eastern Province on Saturday.
Police say Zulu admitted firing the shots but he said it was in self-defense. He said he fired the shots in the air in an attempt to disperse opposition supporters who surrounded him after the game and then threatened to stone his team’s vehicle, according to police.
The Zambian soccer association said it is waiting for an official report of the incident from league officials before taking any action.
Police have confiscated the gun, which they say had been obtained legally and was licensed.
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