2.4 Reports of police opening fire Several tweets were posted by journalists between 5pm – 6pm alleging live ammunition was being used against protestors at Rambukkana.32 However, such reports remained unconfirmed until media footage from the scene was released. Footage released on social media by persons at the protest showed police officers running after a person and shooting them with a rifle in the back.33 This clip was widely shared on the internet – the event does not appear to have taken place at the main protest site/road, but instead on a side/narrow road. Media footage also showed empty bullet shells on the ground34. Figure 1: Google maps, satellite map of Rambukkana Video footage verified by the Sri Lanka Collective against Torture found that the killing took place on the by-lane adjoining the Rambukkana Co-operative fuel station and leading to Mangala caterers. Screen grabs from the video showing a man fallen on the ground, by-standers shouting that a man was shot and two police officers approaching and checking his pulse can be verified as having taken place at this location, and depicted on image 2. “ Ruwan Wijewardane - Rambukkana anti-govt protests turns violent, two protesters shot by police are reported to be in critical condition” Twitter, 19 April 2022, https://twitter.com/RWijewardene/status/1516386342711672832?s=20&t=8jjEQZtGH6fnT68W2pTQkg 33 ‘Police open fire on Rambukkana protesters: One person killed’ News First, 19 April 2022, 02:45 onwards https://fb.watch/cDy5XMpWEH/ 34 ‘Police open fire on Rambukkana protesters: One person killed’ News First, 19 April 2022, 02:11 onwards https://fb.watch/cDy5XMpWEH/ 32 9