Tragedy struck a village in Trans Nzoia when a Kenya Wildlife Service ranger was hacked to death by a suspect he and his colleagues wanted to arrest.
A group of KWS rangers and police had gone to arrest a wanted suspect who later turned violent and attacked one of them killing him on the spot. He also injured a second ranger, police said.
The group of nine KWS rangers and a police officer from Kalaha police post had gone to Kisawai in Kinyoro where a wanted suspect was hiding, police said.
The suspect was wanted over claims of poaching and stealing. The incident happened on Thursday, August 10 evening, police said.
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According to police, the team went to the house of the suspect and knocked it demanding that he surrenders.
Instead, he came out screaming and armed with a machete and slashed KWS corporal Amos Lemermug killing him on the spot.
He was hacked in the back and left leg and bled at the scene to death, witnesses said. He also slashed a second ranger as his colleagues scampered for safety.
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This happened as a crowd surged at the scene tryin to attack the security officials. Police said this forced the team to shoot to the air to disperse the crowd instead of arresting the suspect.
It was in the process that the suspect managed to escape into a crowd that was at the scene, police said. More police officers were called to the scene and managed to disperse the crowd before taking the injured ranger to hospital.
A team of DCI officers arrived at the scene minutes later and announced investigations into the incident had commenced.
The team said they are looking for a known suspect in the death of the ranger.
The body of the ranger was moved to the mortuary pending autopsy and further probe.
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