Bishop-elect Christian Carlassare, MCCI, file photo courtesy of Fr. Carlassare.
Armed intruders shot the bishop-elect of Rumbek, South Sudan on Sunday, in what a witness described as a "targeted shooting" at the bishop-elect's residence.According to latest reports, Bishop-elect Christian Carlassare MCCI (Comboni Missionaries) is in stable condition in a Rumbek hospital operated by the Italian organization, Doctors with Africa (CUAMM), according to ACI Africa and their sister news group, the Catholic News Agency.
Fr. Andrea Osman of Rumbek Diocese was in the residence at the time of the intrusion, and told ACI Africa the intruders fired in his general direction and told him to make himself scarce. “When they saw me, they told me to go away," he said. "One of them fired two bullets at me.” Fr. Osman said the attackers shot the bishop-elect three times.
"The armed men targeted room," Rumbek's diocesan head of logistics, Abenego Marol, told ACI Africa. "They knocked the door and started shooting the door till they broke it," he said. "They shot the door till it opened."
On Monday, there were reportedly plans to airlift the bishop-elect out of the country for treatment in Kenya.
Fr. Carlassare was named bishop of Rumbek early last month, after nearly a decade's vacancy of the see, and is scheduled to receive episcopal consecration on Pentecost.
