Police-civilian clash sparks rioting in Cameroon
YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) -- A riot broke out after a police officer killed a motorcycle taxi driver in a fight at a checkpoint Wednesday, police and witnesses said. Another person was killed during the riot and at least a dozen were injured, they said.
A scuffle broke out when the officer stopped the motorcycle driver to check his documents in the southwestern port city of Douala.
During the fight, the officer hit the taxi driver over the head with a piece of wood, killing him instantly, police at the scene said.
Hundreds of angry bystanders stormed a nearby police station. Paramilitary police used water canons and fired shots in the air to disperse the crowd.
Witnesses reported at least one person killed and 12 others injured in the mayhem. Four police vehicles and one paramilitary truck were also destroyed.
Police reported 40 arrests around the city, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) west of the capital, Yaounde.
Tension between police and civilians runs high in this West African nation, where corruption is rife.
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