Son's short visit turns last goodbye after ranch shooting

14-year-old Peter Odung was killed during a visit to his father who works at Ol Donyo Lemboro ranch. [Courtesy] What was meant to be a normal visit and bonding between a father and his 14-year-old son ended in unimaginable tragedy at Ol Donyo Lemboro ranch in Laikipia County. Peter Edung had travelled to see his father, Emuria Edung, who works at the ranch. Schools were about to reopen and the visit was supposed to be brief - just enough time to reconnect before he returned. But that moment never came. On Thursday evening, as Emuria prepared supper, the sound of gunshots shattered the calm. "I rushed out when I heard the shots, and found my son lying on the ground, bleeding. He had been shot in the chest," he recalled, his voice heavy with grief. Peter died at the scene. For Emuria, the loss is deeply personal and painfully final. "He had just come to see me before going back to school. I didn't know it would be the last time I would see him," he said. The heartbroken father has since called for speedy and thorough investigations into the matter. Leaders in the area have also spoken out. Former Sossian Ward MCA Jacob Edung called the incident heartbreaking and urged ranch owners to maintain respect and responsibility toward the surrounding communities. "We have lived together peacefully for years," he said. "This should never have happened." As investigations continue, one thing remains clear - a young life has been cut short, and a father is left mourning a visit that turned into a forever goodbye. Police say the boy was allegedly shot by a 14-year-old, Lance Tomlinson, the son of the ranch owner, Ivans Tomlinson. Reports indicate the firearm used was licensed and belonged to the father. Authorities allege that the gun had been handed to the teenager, who then used it to shoot Peter. The incident has stunned residents across Laikipia. The teen's father was arrested on Thursday and booked at Rumuruti Police Station and later released on a Sh100, 000 police cash bail. Police said they are investigating a case of negligence after he allegedly allowed his son to access his firearm. He is expected to appear in court on April 30, 2026. A police report indicates that the minor was taken to the police station on Friday by his father and advocate, who expressed that the suspect is asthmatic and produced a medical report to that effect. The minor was, however, arrested and booked for the offence of murder and later taken to Rumururi Law Court vide a miscellaneous application where he was granted a surety bond of Sh1.5 million with an alternative cash bail of Sh500,000. The court further ordered that the minor and his father to deposit their travel documents in court. The report indicate that the minor raised the cash bail and was released. "He was arraigned at Rumuruti Law Courts vide criminal Miscellaneous application since the offender is a minor he was granted a surety bond of Sh1.5 million with one surety of similar amount and an alternative cash bail of Sh500,000 and a further order for the suspect and his father to deposit their travel passports in court," read the report in part. Laikipia West sub-county police boss Francis Nganga said detectives have until May 5, 2026, to conclude investigations and present their findings in court. Nganga added that the two were released on a cash bail of Sh500,000 each after their lawyer argued that the minor is asthmatic. "The court allowed us more time to conclude investigations, and they will be back in court on May 5, 2026," he said. However, according to village elders led by Emuran Lorere, the events leading to the shooting may have unfolded differently. They claim Lance Tomlinson had picked up Peter from his home in Sossian using his father's vehicle. The two were reportedly close friends and had gone on a night hunting trip. At around 1am, they heard the cry of a hyena. "He had a gun given by his father. The deceased had hidden in a nearby bush, and that is when he was shot," said the elder. As the community struggles to process the tragedy, questions remain over how a licensed firearm ended up in the hands of a minor - and how a brief visit between friends turned fatal.

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