Three people, among them a police officer, a suspected drug dealer and a civilian, died on Tuesday in a bizarre incident in Kijitoni area in Lamu County.
Witnesses and police said the suspected drug dealer, Miji Aboud Mohammed, had been stopped by police officers patrolling the area.
Police said upon being searched, he was found in possession of a controlled substance believed to be heroin stashed in a piece of paper.
This prompted the drama that turned tragic.
According to police, before the officers could retrieve the paper, Mohammed, 40, allegedly swallowed it.
This prompted the officers to start choking the suspect in an attempt to have him vomit the drugs.
In the drama, the police officers reportedly strangled Mohammed, police and witnesses said.
Some of the area residents who had witnessed the incident descended on one of the officers with kicks and blows, killing him on the spot.
Three other officers present were injured but rushed to a nearby hospital for attention.
According to police, the other police officers present were forced to fire in the air to disperse the crowd which had gathered outside King Fahad Kisiwani Hospital and was baying for the blood of other officers involved in the incident.
They had been injured in the confrontation.
A patient who had been admitted to the hospital reportedly died from shock as a result of the gunshots, police said.
Police who visited the scene said they are investigating the incident.
