Police in Elgeyo Marakwet County on Monday June 3, 2024 launched investigations after a police officer from border patrol unit shot 3 Kenya Forest Service Officers before shooting himself dead in a suspected love triangle in Sengwer Location, Marakwet West Sub County. 

Two forest rangers died on spot while another one is nursing gunshot wounds at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret.

The incident was reported by Sengwer Location chief Andrew Chemalingo, who reported that he heard gunshots within Cherengany forest station at Gorofa village, Kapcherop sub location.

“Officers from Kapcherop Police Station visited the scene and established that an officer namely Evans Kimutai of border patrol unit (BPU) based at Todonyang camp in Turkana North sub county, Turkana County  stormed the forest station  armed with an AK47 rifle and fatally shot (1)forest ranger Abdalla Dzabo Kitolle aged 22 years  and (2) forest ranger Marion Jerono aged 20 years.

“He also shot  forest ranger Jennifer Makasi Kilonzi aged 24 years who sustained gunshot injuries on the upper right hand  and right side of the chest,” read part of police report.

Police further noted that the suspect later shot himself on the chin and succumbed to the injury. 

“One AK47 rifle, 3 AK47 magazines, one empty, one loaded with 3 rds of 7.62*39 mm and another loaded with 30 rds of 7.62*39mm and 17 spent cartridges recovered at the scene,” police reported.

According to the police, the motive of the attack is alleged to be a love triangle. 

The injured forest rangers were rushed to Kapcherop Health Centre and later referred to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in stable condition.

Meanwhile, bodies of the deceased were removed to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary awaiting autopsy.