Details have emerged regarding the injuries sustained by a hawker shot during the youth protests in Nairobi on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, igniting national outrage.

This comes after the Kenya National Hospital (KNH) on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, reported that it received 16 victims from the chaos.

Police also released the identity of the two officers who were involved in the shooting of the hawker.

Constables Klinzy Barasa Masinde and Duncan Kiprono were interdicted and arrested by Homicide detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

The National Police Service spokesperson, Muchiri Nyaga, said the officers will be arraigned when the investigations are complete.

KNH CEO William Sigilai said the facility received 16 casualties in its accident and emergency centre on June 17, 2025, from the demonstrations.

“The injuries that were described ranged from gunshot wounds to blunt trauma,” he said.

Of the 16, seven were admitted, nine were treated and discharged, and two were operated on. Four others are awaiting surgery. The hospital commended first responders and pledged continued emergency care, with further updates to be provided while safeguarding patient privacy.

Sigilai confirmed that the hawker, Boniface Kariuki, who was selling masks when he was shot by police in Nairobi’s Central Business District, remains in critical condition.

He said the man was referred to the hospital at 3:16 pm from a nearby clinic. He was unconscious with severe bleeding from a gunshot wound on the left side of his head.

Emergency teams led by Janet Sugut stabilised him and placed him on life support.

A team led by neurosurgeon Dr Sam Njiru conducted emergency surgery, successfully removing an object believed to be a bullet.

Jonah Kariuki Nyambura, the father of the 22-year-old hawker, said his son was selling masks around Imenti House.

Addressing the press on June 18, 2025, outside the hospital, Jonah, himself a hawker, expressed deep sorrow over the incident.

“I toiled to raise my son. It pains me to see him like this, but we pray that he gets well soon,” he said.

Accompanied by human rights activist and Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah, the father sought to clarify rumours circulating on social media alleging that Boniface had succumbed to his injuries.

A close friend and fellow hawker, Edwin Kagia, who was present during the incident, gave a chilling account.

“We were selling masks near Imenti House when the police fired tear gas. One officer slapped Boniface, and as he raised his hands in surrender, he shot him,” Kagia recounted.

The father appealed to the public to help settle Boniface’s hospital bills. Kagia and Nyambura also pleaded with law enforcement agencies to stop targeting innocent youth.

“They’re not criminals—they’re just trying to survive,” he said.

As the Gen Z protests take a back seat until June 25, Boniface’s story has become a rallying cry against police brutality.

Student leaders from different universities yesterday stormed out of KNH with a patient, Philip Oketch a student from Kenyatta University, who was shot by police officers during the demonstrations.

The students addressed the media, stating their grievances on the situation, stating that they have had enough of the police brutality and are demanding justice for their fellow comrades.

Oketch, speaking during the press briefing, confirmed that he was shot twice, once in the neck with a live bullet and once in the arm by a rubber bullet.

He accused Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja of hiring goons to disrupt peaceful protests, saying he was attacked and robbed by hired thugs during the chaos.

Student leaders vowed to mass-mobilise and have nationwide university protests if justice is not served.

A coalition of human rights groups and legal advocates has sharply condemned the violence that disturbed Nairobi during Tuesday’s, June 17, 2025, anti-police brutality protests, accusing the National Police Service of enabling and even collaborating with armed agitators who infiltrated the demonstrations, leaving scores injured and at least one man dead.