At least five people are nursing gunshot wounds in hospital after they were shot by a police officer who was pursuing a robbery suspect in Dandora, Nairobi.
The incident happened on Tuesday evening along Total- Kwa Maji road.
It caused tension in the area with locals accusing the police of trigger-happy.
Police explained a team of undercover officers was on patrol in the area when they came across three suspects who were allegedly robbing pedestrians of their mobile phones and cash.
The officers intervened and tried to arrest one of the suspects who then dropped a stolen mobile phone as he escaped.
Other witnesses claimed the suspect dared the officers to shoot him as he dashed from them into a crowd.
It was then that the officers opened fire and injured the five. Police said one of the injured was a suspect in the robbery.
He was shot and wounded in the face. Three mobile phones were recovered from the injured man, police said.
The other two suspects managed to escape in the drama, Nairobi police boss Adamson Bungei said.
It was then realised four other pedestrians had been shot and wounded in the legs, stomach and their backs.
The victims were rushed to the Mama Lucy Hospital and admitted in stable condition.
Bungei said they are investigating the shooting.
He said they are talking to the locals to ensure calm prevails.
“We understand some people want to cause chaos over the issue but we are talking to all parties concerned to address the issue,” he said.
Meanwhile, police are looking for a gang that attacked and robbed a rider of his motorcycle in Kitengela, Kajiado.
The rider told police he was attacked by men who waylaid him as he rode with a passenger and seriously wounded in the head.
The gang then grabbed the motorcycle and rode off.
The injured victim was later referred to Kitengela sub-county hospital for treatment, police said.
