KISUMU, Kenya, Mar 5 – Police in Kisumu on Friday shot dead an assailant who grabbed a gun from a traffic police officer this morning and proceeded to shoot indiscriminately critically wounding three unarmed passersby and the police officer.
Two of the three wounded civilians succumbed to their injuries.
The unidentified man seized the weapon from the traffic police officer who was manning Jomo Kenyatta highway roundabout at Kisumu Boy’s junction.
The man in a face mask and who was wearing gloves in his hands subdued the officer after hitting him in the stomach.
John Chokri, a bus park attendant, said the incident caused confusion at a bus terminus located on the junction causing traffic snarl up.
“We saw him as he struggled with the police officer; we first thought he was a motorcyclist. He then tuned his gun on the officer who was on the ground,” he said.
Eyewitnesses said the man appeared to be talking to someone on phone through earphones plugged on his phone.
The officer who survived the shooting and is currently admitted at Aga Khan Hospital, according to Kisumu Central OCPD Peter Katam.
“It is true our officer is admitted in hospital and the suspect has been killed,” he said.
Another witness, John Olum, narrated how the suspect was cornered and killed after the shooting spree.
“We had gunshots and saw people running towards us, it is at this point when we spotted a person running carrying a gun,” he said.
Another injured person was placed on critical care at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital.