Police gun down terror suspect in Nairobi

Eastleigh residents at the scene where a terror suspect was shot dead June 11, 2013. Police said he was behind Sunday's grenade attack that injured four people ANTHONY OMUYA

A suspected terrorist has been shot dead by police in Nairobi's Eastleigh estate Tuesday.

Police said the man was behind Sunday's grenade attack that injured 4 people in the sprawling suburb.

Anti-Terror Police Unit (ATPU) officers gunned down the suspect in an operation early Tuesday morning and recovered a pistol.

Nairobi police boss Benson Kibui said the man was on a wanted list of dangerous criminals and had travelled to Nairobi on June 5 from Mandera, barely four days before Sunday’s incident where a grenade was hurled at pedestrians.

“He is the man who hurled a grenade at innocent people on Sunday night and we are still searching for his house,” Mr Kibui said.

Witnesses said the suspect had engaged the police in a cat and mouse chase before the officers shot him dead at Section Three of the estate.

Police investigations on Monday revealed that the grenade was thrown from a moving vehicle which had at least three men inside.

Preliminary findings also showed that the grenade used in the attack was manufactured in Russia.