Suspected Robber Shot Dead After Drawing Gun on Police Officer

Police officers have shot dead a suspected robber and recovered a pistol during a robbery incident along Wangari Maathai Road in Nairobi.

In a statement on Sunday, March 22, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said officers from the Nairobi North Sub-Region were on routine patrol when they received a tip-off from a member of the public about an ongoing robbery in the nearby Makaburini area.

The tip-off indicated that three-armed suspects, one brandishing a pistol and the others wielding crude weapons, were actively robbing members of the public in the area.

Acting swiftly on the tip-off, the police officers moved in and blended into the crowd to avoid detection.

The suspects later emerged from nearby bushland and attacked one of the officers, with one of the attackers drawing a gun.

“Moments later, the three suspects emerged from nearby bushland and launched a sudden, violent assault on one of the officers. The lead attacker drew and levelled a pistol, posing an immediate threat to life,” DCI stated.

The officers opened fire, killing one suspect at the scene while the other two sustained gunshot wounds and managed to escape.

A search conducted at the scene led to the recovery of a Blow Mini 9 pistol, a magazine containing two rounds of 9mm ammunition, one round chambered, and two additional 9mm rounds found in the deceased suspect’s right trouser pocket.

Officers from Starehe and Gigiri sub-counties, alongside scenes of crime personnel, processed the scene.

The body was transported to City Mortuary pending formal identification and post-mortem examination.

DCI detectives have since launched a manhunt for the two wounded suspects who escaped.

This comes a day after police officers shot dead a suspected gang leader in Meru County.

According to a DCI report on Saturday, March 21, a joint patrol team of police officers and DCI detectives were on a routine patrol when they encountered a group of approximately five young men.

Upon being challenged by police, the suspects opened fire on the officers, narrowly missing them.

The officers responded swiftly in self-defence and fatally shot one of the suspects. The other four managed to escape.

From the scene, the officers recovered one Beretta Gardone pistol, loaded with three live rounds of ammunition and one spent cartridge.