Police officers from Archers Police Station in Samburu County have initiated a manhunt for an armed individual who seized control of a Probox vehicle, holding its four occupants hostage on Wednesday morning.
Reports indicate that the gunman further demanded Ksh40,000 for their release.
According to a police reports, the incident occurred as the vehicle, carrying three civilians and a police officer, was en route to a shopping center in Samburu County.
The masked gunman ambushed the vehicle, standing in the middle of the road and signaling for the car to stop.
The Probox driver complied with the order and brought the vehicle to a halt.
The gunman, armed with a G3 rifle, instructed the occupants, including the police officer, to disembark and lie down.
Fearing for their safety, the occupants followed the directive. The assailant then demanded Ksh10,000 from each individual to spare their lives, conducting a search to seize any valuable items.
During the search, the police officer reportedly managed to grab hold of the rifle muzzle and engaged in a struggle with the gunman, ultimately overpowering him.
The masked man then surrendered. He however managed to escape towards a gulley in a nearby thicket. The police officer attempted to shoot him with the rifle, but the firearm had only one bullet left in the chamber – and the shot missed.
Officers from Archers Police Station and a multi-agency team from Kalama were quickly deployed to support the situations. Upon reaching the site, they were able to recover the firearm and the spent cartridge.
The shocked victims were then escorted to the police station to record statements.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the assailant only managed to rob the victims of only Ksh1,000 during the scuffle.
“Efforts to pursue the suspect are ongoing by following the footprints,” the police report reads.
