Bondo, Kenya: Three people were shot dead Wednesday evening while Five others were seriously injured when police officers fired on a mob that had forced their way into Bondo police station to lynch two women alleged to have stolen a baby.
An eye witness, Mr Olima Gondi said among the injured was a primary school pupil.
Police used live bullets on the huge crowd that pelted the officers with stones , breaking windows of offices at the police station as they bayed for the blood of the two women who had been snatched away to safety from the angry mob.
Troubled started after the mob confronted two middle aged women who were suspected to have stolen a baby whose mother had just been buried in Gem. Police on patrol quickly intervened and rushed them to the nearby Bondo Police station.
The charged crowd turned their fury on the police. The police officers used tear gas canisters and shot in the air but the crowd surged and headed to the station where they rained more stones on the officers.
The dead, all men could not immediately be identified while the injured who were in critical condition were rushed to Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and referral hospital.
The crowd, had earlier paralyzed business in the busy town. They pelted motorists with stones and blocked the main Bondo-Usenge road.
"They were angered that the police were shielding the two women who were suspected to be members of a gang that has been kidnapping children in the area," said an eye witnesses James Olang.
He added: "There has been rumours of people kidnapping children and even adults in Bondo and members of the public wanted to lynch them."