Three people, including a seven-year-old boy, sustained gunshot injuries after a confrontation between police officers and suspected criminals in Mathare, Nairobi.
Police confirmed that the other victims, aged 21 and 27, were pedestrians caught in the crossfire, sustaining gunshot wounds to the stomach and legs during the standoff on the evening of Wednesday, February 4..
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The incident began when a group of suspected criminals allegedly snatched a mobile phone from a commuter aboard a public service vehicle along Juja Road before fleeing into the densely populated slum. Locals raised the alarm, prompting officers patrolling the area to pursue the suspects. The chase led through Nigeria Gate, with the suspects eventually disappearing into the Kampala Ndogo area.
Gunshots were reported from the direction of the suspects’ escape. Police later received word from MSF Hospital that three gunshot victims had been admitted for emergency treatment. Authorities are investigating whether the injuries were caused by stray bullets or by assailants. An internal police probe is ongoing.
A separate incident in the area involved a man attacked during a robbery on his way to work. He sustained stab wounds to the stomach but survived after being rushed to a hospital. Police subsequently arrested the suspect at a nearby residence.
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Violent muggings remain common in Nairobi’s informal settlements, with police advising residents not to resist robbers to protect their lives. Last month, a tragic case saw a man fatally stabbed while fending off robbers, witnessed by his four-year-old son, who was later adopted by former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko.
