Detectives have launched a manhunt for a gang behind a shooting incident at a quarry in Gatwikira, Ithanga/Kakuzi Sub-County in Murang’a County.

Police said the April 13 incident at Kwa Diana Quarry involved three suspects who were pursuing a man working at the site over an alleged Sh100 debt.

According to investigators, a 27-year-old man known to the victim, accompanied by two others, confronted him at the quarry, sparking a dispute that quickly escalated into a physical altercation.

During the scuffle, one of the attackers reportedly drew a pistol and fired three shots at the target.

The victim escaped unhurt as he and other workers fled for safety before regrouping moments later. The gunfire drew attention from other quarry workers, forcing the attackers to flee into a nearby bush before police arrived.

Officers who responded to the scene recovered a 9mm bullet head, which has been documented and taken for ballistic analysis.

Police said the tests will help establish whether the weapon used has been linked to other crimes.

“No injuries were reported in the incident,” police said, adding that the suspects were armed with a pistol.

Authorities have since intensified efforts to trace the three suspects as investigations continue.

Meanwhile, in Kakamega County, police arrested four Chinese nationals over alleged illegal mining activities along River Yala.

The suspects were apprehended on April 14 by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters in Nairobi, with support from officers based at Eregi Police Station.

Police said the four were found conducting mining operations using a boat along the river at the time of their arrest.

They are currently being held at Eregi Police Station and are expected to be arraigned in court on April 15, 2026, at the Kakamega Law Courts.

Investigations into the illegal mining activities are ongoing.

Authorities say gold mining has increasingly attracted foreign nationals, particularly Chinese, raising concerns over unregulated operations.

A special mining police squad has since been deployed to crack down on illegal mining activities, which officials warn have turned into death traps due to poor safety standards.