A family in Maweni, Kilifi County, is in mourning after the death of a 17-year-old relative, who was reportedly shot by police while attending a wedding.
The teenager is said to have died instantly on Saturday, October 26, from a gunshot wound to the chest.
Local residents claim that police opened fire during the wedding event at night. The victim’s parent recounted the incident, stating that his son was with friends when the police arrived.
“My child was at the wedding, playing with his friends when the police stormed in. As they tried to flee, an officer targeted him and shot him,” he explained.
A post-mortem examination revealed that the boy was shot from behind, with the bullet piercing his lung and exiting from the front.
As the family copes with their loss, community members insist that the teenager fell victim to police brutality.
“There are claims that the children attempted to flee from the police, but I doubt that because the officers were not there to maintain order,” one resident stated. “If that were the case, they wouldn’t have approached with such aggression. Those officers were looking for a fight.”
The reasons behind the police raid at the wedding remain unclear, and law enforcement has not yet acknowledged the shooting.
In response, the human rights organization HAKI Africa has urged the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to investigate the incident as the family seeks justice.
“We don’t understand why the police resorted to live ammunition. HAKI Africa calls on IPOA to investigate the reasons behind the shooting,” said a representative from HAKI Africa.
Concerns over police brutality have intensified recently, with many Kenyans questioning the authorities’ use of excessive force against suspects.
In July, advocacy groups criticized the police during the anti-Finance Bill protests, which resulted in numerous abductions and fatalities.
Additionally, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a global media rights organization based in Paris, condemned the Kenyan police for their brutality towards both local and international journalists covering these demonstrations.