Police shoot dead three suspects in Gigiri, Nairobi

Police shot dead three suspects and recovered two firearms at a petrol station in Gigiri Wednesday afternoon.

The 3.30pm shooting, which took place about 200 metres from the heavily guarded US Embassy and the United Nations offices, brought activities within the usually quiet environment to a standstill for close to two hours.

At the United Nations Complex, all gates were closed and members of the staff advised not to leave the compound.

Also within the area are the Gigiri Police Station and several other embassies and diplomatic missions.

Gigiri Officer Commanding Police Division Vitalis Otieno said that the suspects were shot dead by officers from the Special Crime Prevention Unit (SCPU) who had been trailing them for several hours before catching up with them at the petrol station.

TRAILING A LORRY

The detectives had information that the armed suspects were also trailing a white lorry that was full of gas cylinders.

However, the lorry was stopped by a traffic police officer at the junction of Limuru Road and the UN Avenue. The officer got into the lorry and directed the driver to park at the Kobil petrol station, not knowing that the vehicle was being trailed.

The suspects followed them there, parked next to the pump and then asked the attendant to fuel their car for Sh500.

The pump attendant, Mr Clement Kibet, told Nation.co.ke that after fuelling the car, the men gave him the cash but immediately three cars drove into the station.

The officers took position and ordered the occupants to get out of the car and put everything they had on the ground. Though the Gigiri police boss said there was an exchange of fire, eyewitnesses said that the suspects were shot while lying down.

PISTOLS RECOVERED

Police recovered two pistols, a police radio, a handcuff, and nine rounds of ammunition.

The slain suspects, according to the police, are linked to several incidents including highway robberies. In other cases, they waylaid bank customers as they walked out of banks after withdrawing large amounts of cash.

The suspects were travelling in two cars while others managed to speed off in another vehicle.

The deputy commandant of the Diplomatic Police Unit (DPU), Ambrose Mwawaka, who also visited the scene, said that though the shooting caused panic within the residents, the area was well secured.

“All is well within the area and I can confidently say that we have enough officers around,” he said.
Police were unable to intercept the other car, said to have escaped with other robbers.

The police boss said that another man, believed to be part of the gang and who was at the petrol station, escaped on foot along the UN Avenue in Gigiri