The unrest in Ziguinchor, a town in southern Senegal, came the day before Sonko’s rape trial in the country’s capital, Dakar, was scheduled to begin.
Sonko was charged with assaulting a woman while she was at a massage salon, according to a woman’s allegations.
Sonko faces up to ten years in jail if found guilty and will be barred from running for president. According to local authorities, a police armored vehicle struck and killed the officer when reversing.
The officer’s family received condolences from the government, describing his death as a “tragic accident.” Sonko was stabbed near his home, where he has been staying, despite pledging to defy any summonses to appear in Dakar for the rape trial.
Sonko defeated president macky sall in Senegal’s 2019 presidential election and was elected mayor of Ziguinchor last year.