In a chilling scene that has shaken Kenya and drawn fresh attention to the country’s long-standing problem with police brutality, an Associated Press photographer captured the moment a civilian was shot in the head at close range by a police officer during a protest in Nairobi on Tuesday.
The incident happened in broad daylight on one of the city’s busiest streets — and this time, the brutality unfolded in full view of journalists. The man who was shot wasn’t even part of the protest. He appeared to be a street vendor, quietly selling face masks.
The AP made the difficult decision to release the graphic images because they tell an important and undeniable story — they show a clear sequence of events, from the officers arriving and brandishing weapons, to the exact moment one officer raised his gun and pulled the trigger.
He wasn’t protesting. He was working.
The photos show the man holding a pack of face masks before falling to the pavement. Officers had jumped from a vehicle with their weapons drawn. One of them, wearing a face mask, initially fired into the crowd. Then, alongside a colleague, he approached the vendor.
It’s unclear what words were exchanged, if any. But what’s clear is the terror: the man raising his hands in fear, the officer shoving him, and then — without warning — firing directly at him.
The man dropped instantly. And just like that, the officers turned and walked away.
He survived — barely.
Miraculously, the victim survived. He was rushed to a Nairobi hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery. A spokesperson confirmed he was one of several people wounded during Tuesday’s protest.
Patrick Amoth, a senior health ministry official, told local media that the man — who remains unidentified — was in surgery, with an intensive care bed waiting for him.
Another chapter in Kenya’s long struggle with police brutality
For many Kenyans, this is not a new story. It’s just the latest in a painful cycle of police violence — especially during protests.
Tuesday’s protest was sparked by the recent death of a blogger who had been detained by police after being accused of defamation by a senior officer. His death raised serious concerns about abuse in custody — and now, the image of the shooting has become a powerful symbol of the culture of violence that critics say goes unchecked.
While police later claimed the officer had been arrested, they didn’t name him. Kenyans, outraged and demanding accountability, began circulating the photo of his uniform online.
President Ruto silent as calls for justice grow
President William Ruto, who previously vowed to end police brutality, remained silent as the nation reeled. Meanwhile, a fresh protest has already been scheduled for June 24 — a clear sign that Kenyans are far from done speaking out.
For now, the images tell their own story: of fear, of violence, of a country that’s still waiting for justice — and of one man, caught in the middle of it all, who simply went out to earn a living and came home in an ambulance.
