Six-times lucky: Nyandarua cop survives suspected suicide attempt

A police officer is fighting for his life after he is suspected to have pumped himself with six bullets in a suicide attempt at Mirangine Police Station, Nyandarua County.

The officer, identified as Police Constable Geoffrey Iriko, was on night duty on Saturday manning the report office and the police cells.

Nyandarua police boss Gideon Ngumi said the officer excused himself to go for supper leaving a female colleague manning the offices.

“The female officer heard the gunshots soon after the victim left...the gunshots were from the officer's house. She rushed to the scene where she found said officer unconscious on the floor and bleeding heavily,” said the police boss.

She alerted her superiors who visited the scene together with Directorate of Criminal Investigation officers, who confirmed that the officer had shot himself using the official G3 rifle assigned for official duty.

The German-made G3 rifles issued to Kenyan Police officers are automatic.

The officer is said to have shot himself through the chin, rather than his head. The bullets then went out through the roof of the hut.

Detectives recovered six spent cartridges at the scene.

The police boss said he is admitted at a local hospital in Nakuru Town, and that he is in stable condition, He is set to undergo surgery to remove the bullets.

A police officer at the station said the victim had appeared bothered for some days, keeping to himself many times, but seemed jovial in his brief interaction with other officers.