Three suspects killed, one escaped after police operation

Three suspected gangsters were on Friday killed in a fierce shoot-out with police on the busy Waiyaki Way in Nairobi's Westlands area. The police said the three, who were in a white saloon car were cornered by officers on patrol.

Gigiri Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) Vitalis Otieno said they were tracking the suspects before they neutralised them.

 "The suspects attempted to escape in a saloon car when our officers on patrol pursued them. The suspects are part of the thugs in our list of the most wanted criminals in Nairobi region," Otieno said.

 The noon incident occurred just next to Barclays Bank.

 The OCPD added that the thugs were part of the gangs that have been terrorising residents in the affluent Westlands area.

 He said the police attempted to stop them when they engaged the officers prompting heavy gunfire to ensue between the thugs and the officers.

 Mr Otieno said the all action took five minutes when police sprayed the car with bullets killing three on the spot. He said one of the thugs who engaged police managed to escape.

 The OCPD said a truck driver narrowly escaped death when the Toyota Fielder with registration number KBM 322J belonging to the thugs rammed into his vehicle.

 Some residents who witnessed the gun drama said one of the gangsters exchanged fire with police before disappearing with the gun into the nearby buildings. The eye witnesses claimed the suspect looked like a woman.

 "These suspects are part of a criminal gang on our list. However, we have launched a manhunt for another suspect who escaped. The CCTV footage at the scene will help us get hold of the suspect soon," the OCPD said.

 The OCPD said they recovered a pistol loaded with five rounds of ammunition and mobile phones from the slain suspects. He said the suspects had an intention to commit robbery in Westlands area but the officers thwarted their efforts to commit the crime.

 There were some claims by some eye witnesses at the scene of the incident that the suspects had attempted to rob an Indian man near ABC place near James Gichuru road before the officers cornered them.

The remains of the three thugs, which were riddled, with bullets were loaded to a police land cruiser and taken to city mortuary.

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