Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

A police officer attached to Kangema police station is fighting for his life at Murang’a county referral hospital after he shot himself on Tuesday evening.

The officer is said to have used the rifle he had been given while on duty to shoot himself with the intent to take away his life.

The officer is said to have retreated to his house at around 5pm where he shot himself through the mouth.

His colleagues, after hearing the gunshot, rushed to the scene and found him lying on the floor. He was rushed to the nearby Kangema sub district hospital and later moved to Murang’a hospital.

His colleagues said, for the past few days, the officer looked disturbed and depressed but had not shared what was bothering and he was living in isolation.

Critical condition

Murang’a County police commander David Kainga confirming the incident said doctors for the better part of Wednesday morning were still trying to remove the bullet which was lodged in the body.

He said a report from the doctors indicated that the officer was in critical condition but they are trying their best to save his life.

The police commander added that they are yet to establish the motive behind the incident urging all police officers in the county to seek help instead of taking such drastic steps of taking their lives.

“We understand people are going through a lot of challenges and police officers are no exception but I urge them to seek assistance and we have well established structures to handle such matters,” said the police commander.

The incident comes barely two months after another police officer who was attached to Nyakinga police station in Mathioya shot himself dead.