Two individuals were shot by unknown gunmen during a naming ceremony in Gbawe Zero, a suburb of Accra.
Among the victims was 33-year-old Queen Mother, Pearl Naa Dodoowa Whitaker, who was also a mother of two.
According to a report by Graphic Online, the incident occurred on Thursday, June 19, 2025.
Sources indicate that Pearl was shot shortly after the ceremony had concluded.
The Odorkor Divisional Police Commander, ACP Kofi Sarpong, visited the crime scene and shared details provided by Chief Nii Ayi Solomon, the host of the naming ceremony.
According to ACP Sarpong, Nii Ayi Solomon reported that the shooting happened after the ceremony, which was organised to name his newborn baby.
The chief stated that the event started at 10 a.m. and ended by 4 p.m. While many guests left after the ceremony, some, including the queen mother, stayed behind to wrap up a few things.
“The program started at 10 a.m., so by 4 p.m., people started leaving. But there were still other things to attend to, so some people remained,” the chief was quoted as saying by Graphic Online.
ACP Sarpong added that around 7 p.m., the chief was seeing off one of the guests when someone rushed to inform him that a shooting had occurred at the venue.
Upon hearing the news, the chief hurried back home and discovered two women lying on the ground. He quickly transported them to the hospital.
Mary Hammond, a friend of the deceased queen mother, also recounted her experience, describing how she was sitting with Pearl when the tragic incident happened.
According to Mary, Pearl had earlier served some of the guests and later accompanied the caterer to find transportation. After a long wait, she finally secured a vehicle for the caterer and returned to the event grounds.
“She came back and sat by me near an ice chest. She then picked up her phone and started fidgeting with it, and suddenly we heard a series of gunshots,” Mary recounted.
“By the time I realised it, she was sprawling on the ground,” she added.
Mary said she immediately shouted for help and tried to lift Pearl, only to see blood oozing from her head. She also noticed that another woman sitting in front of them had also been shot.
Mary explained that she did not see where the gunshots came from or who fired them. However, she noted that earlier in the day, some young men had been firing muskets as part of the ceremony.
She further revealed that Pearl, who had been enstooled as a queen mother just three months prior, was scheduled to be formally introduced to the public soon.
Meanwhile, ACP Sarpong confirmed that the chief is currently in police custody to assist with investigations.
VKB/MA
