Police in Nakuru gun down four suspected gang members
Nakuru County police commander Peter Mwanzo during a press briefing after four members of an outlawed criminal gang were shot dead by police officers in Barut area in Nakuru Town West.
What you need to know:
- The four were gunned down in Barut, Nakuru West sub-county, on Friday morning in a security operation.
- Police said the four had attempted to attack them with arrows.
Police in Nakuru have shot dead four people suspected to be members of a criminal gang called Nyuki Squad that has been linked to a spate of robberies and violence in the county.
The four were gunned down in Barut, Nakuru West sub-county, on Friday morning in a security operation.
Police said the four had attempted to attack them with arrows.
Nakuru County Police Commander Peter Mwanzo said the incident occurred at 1am in Kwa Maiko village, a few kilometres from the site where two people were found murdered on Wednesday.
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He said the officers were responding to a tip from residents, who reported that some young people were attacking unsuspecting passers-by with arrows.
The police officers disguised themselves as civilians and proceeded to the area. A confrontation with the gang members ensued.
Armed with arrows
Not knowing that the people they were facing were officers, the thugs, who were armed with arrows and machetes, attacked them, prompting the officers to open fire, killing four on the spot.
Mr Mwanzo said that the officers fired a warning shot to scare away the suspects.
“Our officers were in civilian clothes when the suspects attacked. There were many as they attacked as a group. Some of the suspects escaped into the neighbouring maize plantation with injuries,” he said.
He said some of them would seek treatment in hospitals, urging doctors to notify police if that happens.
The officers seized crude weapons, SIM cards and mobile phones from the suspects, he said.
For the past one month since he was posted to the city, he said, at least 155 suspects had been arrested and 18 cases were going on in court. Some 31 cases were finalised in court and the rest were under investigation, he added.
Mr Mwanzo urged residents to come forward and share information with security agents regarding the criminals, saying that the assistance would be treated with confidentiality.
“Residents of Mawanga came forth with information regarding the youths terrorising them and action was taken against [the suspects]. We are happy that they are now living in peace,” he said.
“They even requested a police post and it will be commissioned today.”
He noted that the use of opium, cocaine, heroin and bhang is rampant among young people in the city.
