Panic was reported along Old Mombasa Road after a 23-year-old passenger was shot and injured while travelling in a Toyota Axio on Saturday night, September 19, 2026.
Police said the incident occurred at about 11pm near the 306 Hardware area in Mlolongo, Machakos County. The driver was reportedly travelling from the Diplomat area with two passengers when gunfire was heard along the busy road.
The driver immediately accelerated after the shots rang out. Moments later, one of the passengers realised that the man seated in the left rear seat had been injured.
The bullet reportedly struck the right side of the passenger’s forehead, leaving him bleeding. The driver then rushed to Mlolongo Police Station to report the incident before the injured man was taken to Life Care Hospital for emergency treatment.
Police officers later visited the reported shooting scene as investigations began. Detectives are seeking to establish whether the vehicle was deliberately targeted or whether the passenger was struck by a stray bullet.
During preliminary investigations, officers reportedly recovered a magazine containing 14 rounds of 9mm ammunition and three spent cartridges believed to be connected to the shooting.
The recovered items were preserved as exhibits as investigators work to establish where the gunfire came from and identify those responsible. The Toyota Axio was also towed to Mlolongo Police Station for inspection and forensic examination.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation as police seek to determine what happened along the busy road and whether the injured passenger was specifically targeted.