Groom-to-be, 21, shot dead by stray bullet fired by one of his friends at engagement party in Egypt

A 21-year-old groom-to-be has died after being hit by a stray bullet fired by his friend at his own engagement party. 

Mustafa Magdy was accidentally gunned down by one of his friends moments before arriving at the party in Agamy, in the Alexandria governorate of Egypt, on May 25.

The barber, who was being held aloft by his friends and carried to the celebrations, fell to the ground drenched in blood when one of the negligent shooter’s bullets clipped him.

He was rushed to Mabaret Al-Asafra Gharb Hospital with massive blood loss, where medics were unable to resuscitate him. 

Celebratory gunfire is often seen at various festivities in parts of the Middle East, and in the context of weddings and engagements is viewed as a symbol of force and honour joining two families.

But the traditional practice is dangerous, particularly at crowded events, and countless examples of people dying or sustaining serious injuries in accidental shootings have come to light in recent years.

Mustafa Magdy died after he was shot with a stray bullet during his own engagement celebration in Alexandria governorate, Egypt, on May 25, 2022

Mustafa Magdy was accidentally gunned down by one of his friends moments before arriving at the party in Agami, Egypt, on May 25.

Mohammed Yusuf, a friend of the groom-to-be, told local media: ‘We were heading to a beauty salon where the bride was having her makeup done to take her to the lounge where the engagement was to be celebrated.’

He said they were carrying Mustafa on their shoulders in celebration as they waited for the bride to exit the salon and head to the lounge.

But before she left the salon, Mustafa tumbled to the ground badly wounded after a rattle of gunfire.

Yusuf admitted that one of the group had fired the shot, but refused to name the gunman.

Medics reported the shooting to police and officers from Amreya police station were dispatched to the hospital, where the 21-year-old sadly succumbed to his critical injuries.

Police in Agamy have opened an investigation into the barber’s death and the case is with regional prosecutors.

But no more details had been shared at the time of the reporting and Yusuf declined to give any further details on the shooting or the injuries sustained by his friend.

Mohammed Yusuf, a friend of the groom-to-be (pictured), told local media: ‘We were heading to a beauty salon where the bride was having her makeup done to take her to the lounge where the engagement was to be celebrated’

Yusuf admitted that one of the group had fired the shot which killed Mustafa (pictured), but refused to name the gunman

Shooting an firearm into the sky in celebration is a popular practice throughout the Middle East. 

But it is a potentially fatal activity which sometimes results in the deaths of bystanders when the bullets run out of steam and fall back to earth.

Others meanwhile are unfortunate enough to be hit directly as careless attendees accidentally squeeze off shots amid wild celebrations.

Though falling bullets impact the ground – or unsuspecting bystanders – with far less velocity and force than if they had been fired directly, a typical bullet will fall with a speed of about 150mph if fired straight up in the air – more than enough to pierce through skin and bone.