Family disputes police report on man gunned down in Thika

A family in Thika is demanding justice for the deadly shooting of their son earlier this week.

George Kimani Irungu, 22, made news headlines on Tuesday after he was gunned down by police officers who alleged that he was a criminal, and that he fired at them first.

Irungu’s parents have however refuted those claims, saying that their son was never a criminal.

Police said he had resisted arrest and attempted to attack the officers. They added that the officers recovered crude weapons and mobile phones believed to have been stolen.

The police alleged that Irungu had been part of a three-man gang that made a habit of attacking members of the public along Cascade Premier-Thika Prison Road.

Irungu’s sister also refuted the claims by the police.

Maureen Wanjiru said she was contacted to go and identify her brother’s remains after he had been gunned down.

The family has demanded investigations into the incident, and want justice served for the death of their son.

Police have heightened security around Kenya following an increase in crime perpetrated by criminals that have in many instances left their victims critically wounded.

The Inspector General of Police on Monday pledged to deal firmly with the rise in insecurity, but stressed that police officers would act in accordance with the law.