Police Commander's Son Shoots Self Dead

Undated image of detectives at a crime scene in Nairobi, Kenya
Undated image of detectives at a crime scene in Nairobi, Kenya
File

A 13-year-old son of North Eastern Deputy Regional Police Commander Patrick King'ori Macharia died after shooting himself dead in their Nairobi home.

In a police report seen by Kenyans.co.ke the teenager was found dead by Macharia and his wife in one of the rooms in their Kang'undo home, with his father's pistol lying beside him.

In the report filed at Mawe Mbili police station, the deputy commander had left his gun unattended in the living room and was having a talk with his wife when they had a loud bang.

Upon realizing that his gun was missing, the police boss and his wife went through the house, ransacking every room.

Undated image of a crime scene
An Image of a police tape on a crime scene
Citizen Digital

"The room was locked from inside, he with the help of his wife broke into their son’s bedroom. Their son had shot himself on the left side of the head with one round which exited on the right side of the head," read the statement filed with the police.

Officers from the station arrived at the scene and pronounced the teenager dead. In addition, they recovered the weapon -  a Jericho pistol registered under serial number *****995.

"The scene was processed and documented by scenes of crime personnel. The gun with 29 rounds and one spent cartridge was withheld pending ballistic experts’ analysis,” the submission filed on occurrence book read.

Investigating officers cordoned the scene. The body of the deceased was ferried to the Kenyatta University Mortuary where a post-mortem will be conducted.

The police have subsequently launched investigations into the demise of the teenager. 

The incident raised an alarm over deaths arising from underage children gaining access to artillery owned by licensed gun-holders. It comes barely months after former nominated MP David Sankok lost his son, Hillary Memusi, in a similar incident.

A high school student, the deceased is said to have gained access to Sankok's weapon when the ex-MP was away running errands. He then went into one of the rooms of their Narok home and opened fire on himself.

A team of officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) was deployed to investigate the suicide. The DCI found no foul play in the incident but hinted that they would charge Sankok for improper handling of a licensed weapon.

Counsellors, medics, and psychologists advise that you can always reach out for help when experiencing any mental health issues. Call Kenya Red Cross toll-free hotline, 1199 for support.

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