A solo road trip through Ethiopia turned into a terrifying ordeal for British travel YouTuber Charles Wright after he was shot in the foot and later claimed he came under fire from police. Despite his injuries, Wright continued driving for hundreds of miles before receiving medical treatment.
Wright, who documents his travels as CharlesWorldTravel, was driving a one-liter Toyota Yaris near Kobo when two armed men tried to stop him. The 40-year-old initially slowed down but sped away after seeing one man preparing an AK-47.
According to Dexerto, the gunman chased the vehicle and fired twice. One bullet hit the road before ricocheting through the bottom of Wright’s car and lodging in his right heel. His foot was resting on the accelerator at the time.
He was shot by gunmen, then allegedly fired at by police while following Google Maps
Wright did not immediately realize he had been shot. He had fractured the same foot while playing soccer earlier that day. He continued driving for around 24 hours and covered about 300 miles with the bullet still lodged in his heel.
“This is the moment my life changed,” Wright wrote. The ordeal later became even more dangerous near Awash. While following Google Maps, he took a wrong turn and encountered two federal police officers. Wright claims they fired at his tires and forced him to continue driving for another two-and-a-half miles before he became stranded in the desert.
He said other officers later confiscated his phone and forced him to run despite his fractured foot and gunshot wound. Wright eventually reached Dawa Haya Hospital, where doctors removed the bullet during a two-hour operation. He claims a power outage interrupted the procedure and staff used phone flashlights for about ten minutes.
His ordeal reportedly lasted 32 days. Wright claims he spent six days at a hotel with an armed officer outside and was jailed three times, admitting there were moments he genuinely wondered whether he would make it out alive.
Wright described the experience as the worst four weeks of his life. After crossing into Kenya, he said he felt emotionally exhausted but relieved, describing it as a feeling of freedom.
He also stressed that several Ethiopians helped him during the ordeal. Wright accepted responsibility for entering an active conflict zone. This is not the first time a travel plan has gone sideways, as another backpacker ended up in jail during his trip to Thailand.
Charles is now recovering and plans to spend several months repairing his foot and Yaris before continuing his travels.
Published: Aug 16, 2026 02:30 pm