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Police in Kilifi County have reported that two people died following violent mob unrest in Garoda, Watamu.
The fatalities occurred after one of the victims, who had been shot during the chaos, died in hospital on Friday, a day after the unrest began.
Authorities said two civilians were struck by bullets as officers tried to control a crowd that had attacked a local health facility.
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Kazungu Karisa Jefwa, 22, was shot in the chest and died upon arrival at the hospital. A 46-year-old boda boda rider sustained a gunshot wound to the right thigh and remains admitted.
The deaths come after an 18-year-old was lynched by a mob in a nearby forest during the unrest. Police have also arrested two suspects linked to the initial assault that sparked the violence.
Officials said the unrest started from a family dispute over a semi-permanent house but quickly escalated, drawing in more than 200 youths. The mob stormed the hospital, damaged property, set parts of the building on fire, and sought to lynch a suspect receiving treatment.
The dispute reportedly began when the house was demolished and the suspect fled to Gede, later returning with a group on four motorcycles, triggering a violent confrontation. Public intervention forced the attackers to flee, leaving behind two pangas.
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Tensions heightened when the suspect sought hospital treatment, prompting a mob of over 200 youths to demand his handover. Police officers responding to the scene were also injured.
Despite the attack, officers managed to rescue patients, with only minor structural damage reported. Live ammunition was used to disperse the crowd.
The bodies of the two victims have been moved to Malindi Sub-County Hospital mortuary for postmortem examinations.
The incident underscores the ongoing challenge of mob justice in parts of Kenya and the risks posed to both civilians and law enforcement during such volatile events.
