Police in Juja, Kiambu County on Wednesday, April 3, fatally shot a suspected thug along Thika Road after a speed chase.
According to reports, the deceased was alleged to be part of a gang which had robbed a woman in Witeithie and fled using a boda boda. Locals believe the thugs headed to Thika Town after committing the crime.
The victim alerted police officers from Juja, who immediately sprung into action. The officers engaged the suspected robbers in a high-speed chase on the busy road. The law enforcement officers managed to catch up with the suspects after a while.
It was at this juncture that one of the suspects was fatally shot.
Police revealed that the robber was shot twice in the head and chest and fell on a nearby bus as the others escaped arrest. The gunshots attracted the attention of locals who rushed to the scene.
"We were told that they were stealing phones and using a motorbike. It is unfortunate that young Kenyans will be losing their lives because of such petty things," one resident stated.
The suspect's body was ferried to the local morgue pending an autopsy as police embarked on investigations.
Speaking to the press, Lawrence Muchangi the Thika Police Commander lauded members of the public for cooperating with the police and detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
"They had grabbed a handbag from a woman along the highway and sped off. They were chased by two officers and one of them was shot here (Jomoko) and we have begun investigations," he remarked.
He further asked the suspect's family members to come forward and identify the body. He also requested any resident with information on the gang to present it to the police.
Muchangi also assured residents from the Jomoko area and the country at large that police were on high alert to stamp out crime.
On the other hand, one of the nyumba kumi leaders asked residents to help the youth stay on track in life and avoid crime.
Kiambu has been ranked among counties where crime is most prevalent,
In March, police killed one suspect after a botched robbery in the Regen estate after pouncing on a gang attempting to break into a house.
