A suspected robber was fatally shot by police during an attempted mugging in Nairobi’s Eastleigh neighborhood. Officers recovered a homemade firearm at the scene.
The suspect, along with an accomplice, was allegedly targeting pedestrians on Muratina Road early Wednesday, January 1. They reportedly attacked a pedestrian heading to Al-Hidaya Mosque for prayers along Jam Street, robbing them of their mobile phone at gunpoint.
The victim’s cries for help alerted patrolling officers, who pursued the suspects. One suspect was shot dead, while the accomplice escaped with injuries and the stolen phone. The recovered firearm was confirmed to be functional.
The deceased’s body has been taken to the mortuary for identification and further procedures. Police have intensified patrols across Nairobi to counter a predicted surge in armed robberies as schools reopen.
In a separate incident in Dandora, two suspects narrowly survived mob justice after attempting to rob a pedestrian. On New Year’s Day around 10 a.m., the suspects tried to steal a mobile phone but were attacked by an angry crowd using stones and sticks.
Police intervened, rescuing the severely injured suspects and taking them to the hospital. Authorities reiterated their stance against mob justice, urging the public to hand over suspects to law enforcement for proper legal action.
