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At least 8 killed in stampede outside soccer game in Cameroon

Cameroon African Cup Soccer
Posted at 2:26 PM, Jan 25, 2022
and last updated 2022-01-25 16:26:33-05

At least eight people have died after they were crushed during a stampede outside a game at the African Cup of Nations soccer tournament in Cameroon on Monday.

According to the Associated Press, the stampede occurred at Olembe Stadium in the capital as people attempted to watch Cameroon play Comoros in a knockout game.

In a statement, the Confederation of African Football said it would investigate.

“We have a duty to find out exactly what happened and, more importantly, to put in appropriate measures to ensure that what happened never happens again," CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe said. "When people lose their lives, we all should be angry. We have to demand explanations and guarantees that it will never happen again.”

The AP reported that the initial death toll rose from six to eight after two more fans were pronounced dead at Messassi hospital.

Another seven people were in serious condition at the hospital.

A total of 38 were injured.

The news outlet reported that the incident may have occurred when fans tried to avoid COVID-19 checks by attempting to bypass security checks.