Actors were shot dead while filming crime movie. The director of an Angolan crime film says police have shot dead two of his actors after mistaking them for real armed robbers.

Actors 'killed by police' - 18 / 12 / 2007 12:21

The duo were carrying unloaded firearms as they filmed a scene in a rough suburb of the capital Luanda, director Radical Ribeiro told AFP news agency.

Three other actors were injured in front of astonished onlookers during filming in a crime-ridden suburb of Angola’s capital, Luanda.

Director Radical Ribeiro, from the Banda Mulundi production company, said: "We saw the police pick-up speeding towards us.

"It looked empty but then suddenly it stopped and people appeared on the back and without asking any questions they started shooting at everybody at close range.

"I don’t know how I escaped, I was just two metres away."

The shooting happened on Monday.

The director said that the actors were carrying firearms, but without any ammunition.

He said: "I was stunned when I saw them falling down. They went on shooting until I shouted out, 'Please don’t shoot, this is a movie'."

The officers then stopped firing and left without attending to the injured, who were taken to hospital, Mr Ribeiro said.

Angolan officials have not commented on the incident, but Mr Ribeiro said he had told local police about the film and maintained that he did have permission to film in the area.

He added that the police responsible for the shooting looked like they belonged to an elite unit.

AFP