Four suspected thugs shot dead by police near Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi

Four suspected thugs were Sunday morning killed by police near Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi after a kidnapping incident.

The four were gunned down after a chase from the central business district where they had kidnapped a woman and demanded a ransom of Sh100, 000.

Police say an AK 47 rifle and pistol with 60 bullets and two cars were recovered during the midnight incident.

Officers from Special Crimes Prevention Unit trailed them as they made demands and after they had been paid part of their demands and freed a victim.

According to Nairobi police boss Japheth Koome, the gang had also been linked to at least six past kidnapping incidents.

“Every victim who came to report of being kidnapped gave out descriptions that matched the slain men. They had even taken hostage a woman and withdrew cash from her account through an automated teller machine,” said Koome.

Some of the victims were attacked outside banks or as they walked on the streets.

On Saturday night, the team was mobilised after a report was made that the woman had been kidnapped and some of the gunmen withdrew cash as part of their payment.

And after the officers shot at them killing three on the spot, one of them who had sustained serious injury ran into a nearby water tunnel and hid there.

This forced the officers to pursue him there with members of the public where they found he had succumbed to the injuries.

Police say the gang has been operating and posing as police officers while attacking and robbing unsuspecting members of the public.