Police kill five suspected thugs in Embakasi, Nairobi

NAIROBI, KENYA: Five suspected thugs were on Sunday night shot dead by police in Embakasi area, Nairobi and three home made guns found on them.

Police said the men had been attacking and robbing residents when an alarm was raised. The shooting took place in Quarry area of the larger estate at a dark alley that is popular with pedestrians.

Embakasi OCPD Apollo Wanyonyi said the men, all aged below 25 had been attacking and robbing pedestrians when they were alerted.

“The gang members had declined to surrender when police approached the scene, we recovered stolen goods from the suspects.” said Wanyonyi.

The shooting happened after a number of pedestrians had apparently been robbed.

Locals had been complaining of an increased mugging incidents in the area.

A witness said police rushed to the scene and staked for a while witnessing the attacks before they struck.

The bodies were later moved to the mortuary. The killing adds to more than 30, the number of suspects who have been shot dead by police in the city in the past three weeks in a renewed war on crime.

At the weekend, a suspected thug was shot dead and three guns with more than 80 bullets recovered from him in a shootout incident in Westlands area, Nairobi.

Police say an employee of UN offices in Nairobi was shot and wounded in the shooting but he is out of danger and that two others managed to escape on foot.