Teenager shoots himself in quarrel with servant over car

A teenager grabbed his father's gun and shot himself in the head after a domestic worker barred him from using a family car.

The 18-year-old, son to Maj (Rtd) Michael Kariuki, the head of security at Safaricom, is fighting for his life at a city hospital where he is admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

The incident happened on Tuesday morning in Nairobi's Lavington Estate while parents of the Form Four student were away.

The police said the boy was seriously injured. Officers who visited the scene said they found him in bad shape.

There were claims he had been placed on a life-support machine.

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The police said Kariuki, a licensed gun owner, was away in London together with his wife at the time of the incident at their Mugumo Terrace home.

Witnesses said the bullet went through the right ear before exiting the head, shattering his skull in the process. The student was found lying on the floor of his bathroom.

Bleeding profusely

His brother, who was in the house, reportedly heard a gunshot from boy's bedroom. He went to check what was happening and found him bleeding profusely.

The family driver rushed him to hospital where he was said to have been put on life support machine.

The police said they took away the Ceska pistol that had 11 bullets and will question his parents.

Relatives said the teenager's parents had to cut short their trip in Europe as soon as the news of the tragedy got to them.

The police said they had not recovered any notes that could explain why the boy wanted to take his life.

Equally puzzling was how the boy accessed the gun, which witnesses said had been locked up in a safe in his parents' bedroom.

He is said to have argued with the house help when he demanded keys to one of the cars.

"We don't know if the argument he had with the maid led to the incident but investigations into the incident are ongoing," said Nairobi head of DCI Nicholas Kamwende.

After the altercation, he reportedly went to the safe, took out the pistol and shot himself.

Locking entrance

The house girl, who was alone in the house yesterday, refused to comment on the issue. "No one is in the house. It is only the parents who can comment on the matter," the maid said before locking the entrance to the home.

Guards said they heard a gunshot and an alarm from the house. The police visited yesterday and recorded statements from the house girl, driver and the boy's brother.

This is the latest incident to happen involving legally issued weapon.

On February 18, 2017 a university student shot himself dead moments after surviving a grisly road accident in Nairobi's Loresho. Police say the man  — Brian Kagwe — shot himself in the chest twice using his father's gun.

The police said such legally issued weapons were supposed to be surrendered to authorities whenever the owners travel.

"Unless the owner is sure of his safe, he or she should surrender the weapon to authorities for custody whenever they travel out of the country," said an officer.

Seriously injured

A message sent to Safaricom staff Wednesday said: "Our friend Maj Kariuki's son Josiah, 18, is seriously injured following an incident involving a firearm. He has, as a result, undergone surgery and his condition at this time remains critical. We pray for his full recovery while keeping Major and his family in our prayer."

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