Two killed in Watamu Hospital mob violence

Two people were killed in violent mob unrest in Garoda, Watamu, Kilifi County, police said.

The fatalities occurred after one of the victims, who had been shot and wounded, succumbed in hospital on Friday following Thursday’s chaos.

Police said two civilians were hit by bullets while officers were trying to contain a crowd that had attacked a local hospital.

One of the victims, Kazungu Karisa Jefwa, 22, sustained a gunshot wound to the chest and died upon arrival in hospital.

The second victim, a 46-year-old boda boda rider, suffered a gunshot injury to the right thigh and remains admitted at the same facility.

The deaths follow the lynching of 18-year-old who was killed by a mob after being cornered in a nearby forest during the unrest. Police also confirmed the arrest of two suspects in connection with the assault that triggered the violence.

According to authorities, the unrest began as a family dispute over a semi-permanent house but escalated into widespread violence involving more than 200 youths.

The mob stormed a health facility in Watamu, vandalized property, and set parts of the building on fire, aiming to lynch a suspect being treated at the hospital.

The disagreement reportedly led to the house being demolished before the suspect fled to Gede, issuing threats of retaliation. He later returned with a group on four motorcycles, prompting a violent confrontation.

Members of the public responded to distress calls, forcing the attackers to flee and abandon two pangas at the scene.

Tensions escalated further when a suspect sought treatment at a local health facility.

A mob of over 200 youths descended on the hospital, demanding he be handed over.

Police officers responding to the incident were also injured.

Despite the destruction, officers rescued patients from the facility, with only three windows reported burned. Authorities confirmed that live ammunition was discharged in an effort to disperse the crowd.

The bodies of the two victims were moved to the Malindi Sub-County Hospital mortuary, where they await postmortem examinations.

The incident highlights the persistent challenge of mob justice in parts of the country and the risks faced by both civilians and law enforcement during such volatile confrontations.