A police officer was shot dead and two others injured in a brazen ambush by armed gunmen in the Free Area of Nakuru Town in the early hours of Monday.
The officers, who were responding to a distress call at around 1 a.m., were ambushed by a suspected gang. Police confirmed that one of the injured officers was also attacked with a machete during the incident.
The slain officer was attached to Bondeni Police Station. His body was moved to the mortuary as investigations into the attack intensify. The injured officers are receiving treatment at Nakuru Level Five Hospital.
Following the deadly ambush, a police operation led to the arrest of two key suspects and the recovery of a firearm believed to have been used in the attack. The weapon will undergo ballistic testing to determine if it has been used in other crimes.
Police said the suspects are under interrogation, with authorities optimistic about unearthing more details about the gang’s network.
The incident comes amid a noticeable rise in criminal activity in parts of Nakuru, prompting the deployment of more security personnel in the affected areas. Detectives believe a violent gang is behind the recent spate of attacks and are conducting an ongoing manhunt for other suspects.
Just days before the ambush, a 25-year-old man identified as Enock Chepkwony was shot dead during a robbery in Baraka, Menengai area, Nakuru County. Chepkwony, a herder from the Arap Chumo area, was gunned down at close range by three armed robbers fleeing the scene of an M-Pesa shop heist, where they stole KSh 40,000 and injured the female attendant.
Police recovered a 7.62 mm special spent cartridge at the scene. The attendant, who sustained injuries to her face and left arm, was taken to hospital for treatment.