Police kill 3 gunmen after five-hour shootout in Kenol

Police officers arrive at the Kenol building where the suspected robbers were holed up. The police gunned down three gangsters after a five-hour shootout.

PHOTO | NDUNG'U GACHANE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Officers trailed the gang to the rental building on Saturday morning after a robbery in the capital Nairobi.

  • When the gang realized the officers had entered the building at around 9am, they opened fire.

Police have gunned down three gangsters in a rental house in Kenol, Murang’a after a five-hour shootout.

The officers have recovered three firearms from the suspects belonging to the Kenya Police Service.

These include an AK-47 from a shooting in Kibichoi, Kiambu County on August 18 where two police officers were killed and two pistols stolen from officers who were killed in Kayole Saturday morning.

For close to five hours, police battled the gunmen with heavy gunfire being heard metres away from the building in which the suspected criminals are holed up.

FIRE

Officers trailed the gang to the rental building on Saturday morning after a robbery in the capital Nairobi.

When the gang realised the officers had entered the building at around 9am, they opened fire.

Some of the tenants scampered for safety as police evacuated others as they prepared to take on the shooters.

Some residents told Nation that the gang could be holding some tenants hostage.

The gun fight attracted a huge crowd, including Murang'a leaders.

Police control a crowd at the Kenol building where the suspected robbers are holed up. PHOTO | NDUNG'U GACHANE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Muranga County criminal investigations chief Julius Rutere said officers from Flying Squad and Recce Squad had reinforced the team on the ground.

A family which had been held hostage by the gangsters were unharmed during the incident.

Additional reporting by Stella Cherono