Gun Holder Shoots, Injures Boy in Confrontation with Thugs in Kawangware

A boy, aged 11 was shot and seriously wounded by a gun holder who was chasing suspected thugs in Nairobi’s Kawangware area.

The victim was a bystander at the time of the incident. He was hit in the cheek and attended to in hospital in stable condition.

The businessman identified as James Kamau, 55 who is a licensed gun holder told police he was Thursday November 14 night at his general merchants shop in the area when a group of three men confronted him.

He said the men were armed with metal bars and wanted to steal meter boxes that are used to keep Kenya Power tokens.

He had a Glock pistol loaded with 14 bullets at that time.

According to the gun holder, the gang confronted and hit him in the hand as others grabbed the meter boxes they had targeted.

The group jumped out of the shop and ran with the stolen property.

This prompted Kamau to reach for his Glock pistol and chased the group while shouting for help.

He shot at the escaping group attracting more attention from locals.

It was in the process that he shot and injured the boy in the cheek.

Police said the shooting victim was rushed to a nearby clinic where he was attended to and discharged.

The gunholder said he sustained injuries in the hand and knees after he fell as he chased the gang.

The gang managed to escape into darkness in the sprawling estate.

He later reported the matter to police who asked him to surrender his weapon with five bullets and its permit.

Police said they are investigating the incident.

The gun holder was taken to a local hospital for medical attention following his injuries in the drama.

A team of police officers later visited the scene as part of the probe into the tragedy.

Gunholders are advised to avoid using the weapons in crowded area as this may cause bigger damage.

There are more than 10,000 civilian gun holders.

They usually undergo a rigorous process before being issued a permit to own the weapons.

Some own them own them for prestige.