A Kenyan police
officer went on a shooting spree, killing seven of his colleagues, including a
member of hostage response team on Thursday, July 14 at Kapenguria Police
Station. One of the officers includes Officer Dennis Momany from Coy Ruiru, who
got married few weeks ago. The siege began
when the attacker, identified as Abdilhakim Maslah, opened fire on his fellow
officers, leading to a hostage situation. Police at first suspected the
attacker had ties to the al-Shabab jihadist group.
According to the
police, Maslah, a station guard, got off work Wednesday night but returned to
the Kapenguria station shortly after 5am on Thursday and started shooting. A separate police
statement to the media said the officer, "for yet unknown reasons, went
berserk and grabbed a firearm" and started shooting. The statement said
the officer wore a "turban that covered his whole face, leading to the
previous suspicions" that he was a terrorist.
Earlier, Police
Inspector General Joseph Boinnet had said in a statement that commandos had
surrounded the police station in an attempt to bring the standoff to an
end. "His attempts
to escape were thwarted by quick arrival by other officers," Boinnet said. Five police
officers, including a senior officer, were among the dead, reports The Nation
Kenya, quoting West Pokot County Commissioner Wilson Wanyanga.
KTN Kenya said as
many as six officers had died in Kapenguria. Police commandos were deployed to
rescue prisoners held at the station and end the standoff, Kenya's police
chief, Joseph Boinnet, said before the crisis ended. All but one of the
officers killed worked at the station. The station commander was among them,
West Pokot County Commissioner Wilson Wanyanga said.
President Uhuru
Kenyatta condoles with the families and colleagues of the victims,
"Today, I mourn with the families of the young men who died
in Kapenguria defending their nation against a depraved killer, he said in a
statement. "We do not know what led the killer to his foul and evil
deeds, but Kenyans can be certain that my government's security and
investigative agencies will do all within their power to discover what
motivated this attack. I celebrate the lives of the young patriots who died
defending the law and order we so often take for granted.
In days to come, my government will give their families every
support as they come to terms with these tragic events. My family and I pray
that God will grant them the grace to bear these losses. Kenya remains strong.
This is a country of laws and order, not violence and hatred. We will not allow
ourselves to be shaken, or to be divided by the foul deeds of a single
man."
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One of the victims, Officer Dennis Momany from Coy Ruiru pictured on his wedding day few weeks ago. |
Source:
Kenyan news agencies
No good news comes from Kenya
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