Kenya police officer ‘goes berserk,’ kills 7 colleagues

Another police officer, who declined to be name, told Reuters at least four officers were killed and that figure could rise.

A police officer alleged to have shot at his colleagues in a bid to flee a gunman, who opened fire from within the police station, was also killed.

A separate police statement to the media said the officer “for yet unknown reasons, went berserk and grabbed a firearm” and started shooting.

Kenya’s Nation news organisation reported that five police officers, including a senior officer, were among the dead, quoting West Pokot County Commissioner Wilson Wanyanga. Officers who visited the scene after the incident confirmed that the slain assailant was one of their own.

Police commandos have been deployed to rescue other prisoners at the station and try to end the standoff, Kenya’s police chief, Joseph Boinnet, said. The number of casualties was not clear, the statement said.

Soldiers and police reinforcements have surrounded the station, which is around 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the Ugandan border.

“Everybody thought the gunman was among the militia as speculated but on seeing his body, we could not believe that he was one of our own”, said an officer.

Heavy blasts were heard inside the compound as the elite officers forcefully made their way in and launched an assault against the suspected militiaman.