Police in Matungulu have gunned down one suspected gangster and recovered an AK-47 assault rifle in a dramatic shootout at Masokani shopping centre along Kennol-Koma road Friday evening.
One gangster managed to escape on foot with gunshot wounds, leaving behind a Toyota Harrier vehicle that they were driving before the deadly confrontation with the law enforcers.
Addressing journalists at the scene of the incident, Matungulu Sub-County Police Commander, Peter Gichohi, said the suspected criminals, whom security officers were trailing, were ordered to surrender. Still, they instead opened fire on the police, triggering a gun battle.
“Police officers were acting on actionable intelligence, pursuing some notorious criminals operating within this area, and on reaching this point, the criminals who were driving in a Toyota Harrier were ordered to stop but they resisted,” the OCPD said.
The sub-county police boss revealed that the AK-47 firearm recovered was identified as one that was stashed from an administration police officer within Mavoko municipality in November last year.
“A gunfight ensued between the officers and the thugs, resulting in the death of one of the thugs who was armed with an ak-47. Notably, the AK-47 was robbed from one of our administration police officers last year in Mavoko,” he said.
He urged the public to immediately report anybody suffering gunshot injuries seeking medical attention or shelter.
Several mobile phones and other crude weapons were also recovered from the scene.
The recovered vehicle was towed to KBC Police station while the body of the slain suspect was removed to Kangundo Hospital mortuary.
