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Police officer kills three, self

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Published on Saturday, 10 November 2007 22:47
An Administration police officer based in Masaba district went berserk and shot three people dead before turning the gun on himself in unclear circumstances. Constable Daniel Lekolool is reported to have gone on a shooting spree using his G3 rifle, opening fire indiscriminately in an incident that left fellow officers and residents of Moturumesi village shell-shocked.

The deceased included AP Pius Tanui and a standard six pupil from Moturumesi primary school. Lekolool who was based at Moturumesi chief's camp in Rigoma Division, had reportedly been transferred to the divisional headquarters last week but had not reported to his new work station.

Masaba DC Joel Cherop confirmed the incident and said investigations had been launched to identify what might have provoked the attack. Trouble started after Lekolool and Tanui returned from a nearby school where they had been deployed to keep watch on the ongoing Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination when Lekolool reportedly picked a fight with his colleague.

Eyewitnesses said Lekolool was then informed that a vehicle had been dispatched to take him to his new workstation whereupon he said he needed time to go to his house to collect his personal effects.
However when he emerged from the house Lekolool was wielding his G3 rifle with which he tried unsuccessfully to shoot the driver of the vehicle and instead damaged the vehicle's radiator.

Lekolool then proceeded to a near by hotel, where a scuffle ensued between him and Tanui, who was preparing to take a cup of tea. Eyewitnesses said Lekolool shot Tanui on the face at point blank range with a second bullet bruising another man who was treated at Keroka sub district hospital and discharged.Lekolool then went on a shooting spree killing the pupil who was on his way home from the neighbouring Moturumesi primary school in an incident which left the residents stunned.

The trigger-happy Lekolool then started shooting indiscriminately sending residents scampering for safety at nearby buildings. He then locked himself up in his room and shot himself before police from Keroka police station who had been summoned to restrain him broke into the house and found his body lying in a pool of blood.