Police officer killed in Nakuru shootout with armed gang
A police officer was killed and two of his colleagues were seriously injured in a shootout with suspected criminals in the Freehold area of Nakuru City on Sunday night.
Constable Josphat Ruto, who was killed in the incident, was in the company of three other officers on patrol when they were ambushed by armed thugs. The officers were patrolling Freehold Road, an area that has witnessed a surge in criminal activity in recent weeks.
According to Nakuru County Commissioner Loyford Kibaara, the armed suspects were believed to be preparing to commit a crime.
“A shootout ensued and Constable Ruto was shot in the pelvic area. He later succumbed to the injuries while receiving treatment at Nakuru Level Five Hospital,” said Mr Kibaara.
A preliminary medical report indicated that the officer died due to excessive bleeding.
The other injured officers were identified as Saul Mutoro and Walter Makori. Mr Mutoro sustained a cut to his right hand from a panga and was treated and discharged in a stable condition.
However, Mr Makori suffered a gunshot wound to the back, with the bullet exiting through his abdomen. He remains hospitalised in a critical condition, according to Mr Kibaara.
During the exchange of fire, one of the suspected criminals was shot and fled the scene with injuries.
Following the incident, detectives launched a manhunt and arrested four suspects believed to be part of a criminal gang that has terrorised Nakuru residents over the past three weeks.
Among those arrested are a 45-year-old woman and an ex-convict suspected of being the gang’s ringleader.
According to the administrator, the four suspects were found hiding in a room at the Umoja Lodging in Nakuru. One of the suspects, an ex-convict, had been released from Nakuru GK Prison just last month and is believed to have resumed criminal activities immediately upon release.
Another suspect, who is believed to have been with the robbers at Gilgil Bar prior to the Freehold shooting, was arrested after being identified by a member of the public.
The police recovered an AK-47 rifle, which is believed to have been used in a string of recent crimes in Nakuru.
The weapon was found in Bondeni Estate following information provided by the arrested suspects. A 45-year-old woman who runs a kiosk in Bondeni was reportedly tasked with hiding the firearm.
“For the last week, we have had several serious incidents. Businesspeople have been killed and members of the public are living in fear. Ballistic tests confirmed that the cartridges recovered from various scenes were 7.62mm rounds used in AK-47 rifles,” said Mr Kibaara.
Investigations have linked the firearm to recent criminal activities in various parts of the city, including the Pipeline, Pakawa, Ndege Ndimu, Ngata and Soilo areas.
The police also revealed that the suspects frequently communicated and coordinated their crimes via mobile phones. Data obtained from their phones has linked them to previous incidents and helped the police to track their movements.
“The gang would often regroup at Umoja Lodging after committing their crimes. Our intelligence led us to that location where we managed to arrest four suspects,” the commissioner said.
Preliminary investigations suggest that five of the suspects are from the Kuria region on the Kenya-Tanzania border, and are believed to be working closely with accomplices in Nakuru.
Mr Kibaara confirmed that additional suspects are still at large, but that security agencies are pursuing several leads to bring them to justice.
“We believe the gang is part of a larger network. Investigations are ongoing and we expect more arrests. The nature of crime in Nakuru has evolved from phone snatching and M-Pesa fraud to violent robberies with pangas and now deadly gun violence. We will not allow this to continue,” he said.
He assured the public that law enforcement is fully committed to dismantling the gang and restoring safety to the city.
Mr Kibaara confirmed that the AK-47 rifle recovered during the operation was not linked to any police station in Nakuru.
“Further forensic investigations will determine its origin. The arrested suspects are cooperating and we are gathering more intelligence. We urge members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity,” he added.
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