Police are investigating an incident in which a Kenyan-born American professor was on Monday morning shot and seriously injured in Ngara, Nairobi in a suspected road rage.
The professor was shot by a police officer who claimed the don had attacked him on New Year day at about 1 am.
Police said officers were at the Globe Roundabout-Slip Road junction on patrol duties when they saw some motorists using the wrong side of the road.
The team said they tried to control traffic at the junction as motorists who had ushered the new year rushed to various places.
The officers claimed that they approached the motorists and on inquiring why they were using the wrong side of the road, one of the motorists alighted and attacked one of the officers.
A struggle ensued and he discharged one round from his AK-47 rifle after which the motorist rushed back to his vehicle and sped off towards University Way.
It was later established that the motorist was a 51-year-old professor, a resident of the United States who is currently on vacation in Nairobi.
Police said preliminary investigations show the professor was accidentally shot during the struggle.
“He is a stable condition and detectives will record his statement to establish what transpired,” said Nairobi police boss Adamson Bungei.
He had been shot in both thighs and is currently admitted at the Nairobi Hospital in stable condition, police said.
Bungei has said investigations had been launched and the victim’s statement will be recorded once he is discharged from the hospital.
A team is set to visit the injured motorist for more information as part of the probe into the saga.
“He has his side of the story which will set things in motion,” said another officer aware of the issue.