Police officers arrive at Kenol building where suspected robbers were holed up. The police gunned down three gangsters after a five-hour shootout. [PHOTO/nation.co.ke]
Police in Murang'a were on Saturday engaged in a gun battle with suspected robbers in a rental building in Kenol town.
There was heavy gunfire heard metres away from the building where the suspected criminals were said to be holed up.
Officers had trailed the suspects to the rented building after a robbery incident in Nairobi.
Upon realising that officers had discovered them, the gang is said to have opened fire at around 9am as tenants scampered for safety.
Already police have evacuated some tenants from the building although it is reported that others have been taken hostage by the gang.
Currently, a number of Murang'a leaders are near the scene as police continue to battle the gang.
Muranga County criminal investigations chief Julius Rutere has confirmed the incident and said that officers from Recce Squad and Flying Squad have been deployed to reinforce the team on the ground.
He did not give more details because the operation is still ongoing.