Police officer shot, wounded in attack in Dandora

A police officer was Monday morning shot and seriously wounded in an attack by suspected thugs in Dandora, Nairobi.

The gang did not steal anything from the officer in the 5.30 am incident.

Police and witnesses said the gang of three managed to escape on foot after injuring the officer in the head. They wanted to grab his gun as he walked to his place of work but failed after noticing a backup team was approaching, police said.

A major operation mounted in the area to capture those behind the incident in vain.

Nairobi Police boss Philip Ndolo said the injured officer is in hospital and in stable condition. He added they had mounted operations to get the attackers.

“It is important for us to get them and recover the weapon for our own safety as Kenyans,” he said.

Meanwhile, three suspected thugs were at the weekend shot dead along Landhies Road, Nairobi.

Police said they recovered two pistols from the slain men. They were in a gang of four and were planning a robbery in the area when they were stopped by police.

According to police, the men aged between 19 and 25 refused to surrender when challenged, prompting a shootout.

Police said they also recovered a pen knife and four rounds of ammunition from the suspects. The bodies were taken to the mortuary.

Ndolo said the shooting happened after a combined team of police officers based at Kamukunji, acted on a tip off from the public on notorious criminals on a mission to commit crime.

“A fierce shoot out ensued whereby three suspects were fatally wounded as the fourth one escaped towards Muthurwa Estate,” he said.

Cases of armed robberies have been fluctuating prompting police to react with brutal force.