NAIROBI, Kenya — A 50-year-old woman is currently hospitalized in Nairobi after sustaining a serious gunshot wound to the leg. Police have attributed the incident, which occurred on Sunday morning at her residence, to an accidental discharge of a firearm.
The woman is the spouse of a businessman who is a licensed firearm holder. The incident took place at their home in Riara Apartment, located off Ngong Road.
According to the man’s statement to police, he had arrived home and requested his wife’s assistance in carrying three bags into the house. One of these bags contained a Beretta pistol loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition.
Unaware of the contents, the woman picked up the bags and set them down in the parking lot. Police indicate that the bag may have been placed down with force, leading to the firearm’s discharge.
The husband reported hearing a gunshot while still in the parking lot and immediately sensed an issue. He rushed to the scene to find his wife bleeding from her right leg. He promptly transported her to the hospital, where she is now admitted and reported to be in stable condition.
Investigators stated that the firearm discharged from within one of the bags after it was set on the ground. The bullet reportedly struck a wall before ricocheting and hitting the woman in the leg. Police noted that the pistol’s safety catch had been left disengaged, a factor likely contributing to the unintended firing.
The bag itself was torn at the time of the incident. Officers have since visited both the hospital and the scene as part of their ongoing investigation. The firearm has been seized from the husband and is being held as an exhibit.
In a separate development, detectives are investigating a report from a businessman in Nyali, Mombasa County, who claims his firearm went missing under unclear circumstances.
The man, also a licensed firearm holder, informed police that he had secured his Glock pistol, along with two magazines containing 15 bullets each, in a safe on May 13. However, he discovered the weapon missing on June 2 when he attempted to retrieve it.
He stated he had not checked on the firearm since the day he secured it. The businessman told officers he was preparing for travel to Samburu and went to collect the firearm when he realized it was absent. Police have visited the scene and initiated a probe into the matter.
Kenya currently has over 15,000 licensed gun holders. Applicants for firearm licenses undergo a rigorous vetting process before approval.
