Police officer dies after shooting himself in Athi River

Police in Athi River, Machakos County, are investigating an incident in which a police officer died after reportedly shooting himself.

The officer, attached to the Daystar police post within Athi River South Sub-County police command, is said to have turned the gun on himself on Thursday at his residence within the police post area.

He was rushed to a hospital in Mlolongo and later transferred to another one in Kikuyu for further treatment, where he later died while undergoing care.

The incident was reported to Athi River Police Station on Friday as an attempted suicide/shooting incident by a colleague who said he received information while away from the station.

“The officer of a sergeant rank said he received information that the police constable had shot himself at his residence within the police post,” a police source told The Star.

A police report seen by The Star indicated that the officer’s residence borders the report office block and that he had a domestic disagreement with his spouse, aged 23 years, before the incident. The report further stated that the matter is under investigation.

Police said the scene was visited by the orderly officer, Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers, duty officer and Scene of Crime personnel, who documented the area.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the officer was on duty as a report office day shift personnel at the time of the incident and that the firearm used was officially issued to him.

Police recovered a Scorpion rifle, serial number C239025, and a spent 9mm cartridge, which were taken as exhibits.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.