Police in Kitale are investigating a disturbing incident in which a student from Kitale National Polytechnic was shot and seriously injured following an altercation with a man later identified as a police officer.
The shooting occurred at dawn on October 22, 2025, at Norec Shopping Centre in the Kibomet area of Trans Nzoia County. According to witnesses, the student and several of his friends were playing pool when an argument erupted between him and a man who later turned out to be a serving officer attached to Kitale Police Station.
Witnesses reported that the confrontation escalated quickly, with the suspect allegedly drawing his firearm and shooting the student at close range before fleeing the scene on a motorcycle. Responding officers recovered two spent 9mm cartridges and a bullet head outside a pool table shop, along with visible bloodstains, confirming that the shooting took place at the location.
The injured student was rushed to Kijana Wamalwa Referral Hospital, where he was admitted in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Medical staff said the victim underwent emergency surgery and remains under close observation.
Following initial investigations, the police officer suspected of the shooting was arrested and detained at Kitale Police Station pending his arraignment. Witnesses positively identified him during an identification parade conducted on Thursday, leading to his formal arrest.
Authorities have since launched a comprehensive probe to determine the exact circumstances that led to the altercation and the use of the firearm. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers have joined the case to establish whether the weapon used was government-issued and to assess if the officer acted alone or in the line of duty.
Law enforcement officials have assured the public that the matter will be handled transparently and that justice will be served. The incident has sparked concern among residents, who have called for accountability and a review of firearm discipline within the police service.
