Lakes Police Spokesperson Elijah Mabor Makuac. (Photo: Yang Ater/Eye Radio).

A 16-year-old girl was killed and 10 others were wounded when an “intoxicated” young man let off a hand grenade against his own family in Yirol West County, Lakes State on Wednesday, police said.

Lakes police spokesperson, Maj. Elijah Mabor, said the 21-year-old drunken man had quarreled with his family at home at Kadula village before taking a hand grenade belonging to his father and pulling the pin.

The police said the suspect hurled the weapon at his own family in which it exploded in the process, killed his younger sister and left 10 others seriously injured including him.

“All the victims were actually evacuated to the county hospital for treatment after the incident was reported to the police,” Makuac said, adding that the suspect is also under treatment while being monitored.

Maj. Makuac said the hand grenade belonged to the man’s late father who was a soldier. When his father died, the suspect had likely kept the grenade in the family home for himself, the official said.

“The suspect is a civilian, but the grenade belonged to his late father, because his father was a soldier, but when he died. The hand grenade remained at home because he failed to surrender the bomb to the police or military.”

The police official called on families to hand over all types of military grade weapons owned by deceased members of the armed forces to their units or local authorities.

“When a soldier dies at home or in the hospital and he has uniforms or guns or any item related to the military, immediately all these items should be surrendered to his unit. If it is far away, then it should be reported to the nearby police force.”

Maj. Makuach said when the unnamed suspect recovers, he will be produced in court and held accountable for his crime.