Boniface Kariuki Succumbs to Injuries After Police Shooting During June 17 Demo

Boniface Mwangi Kariuki, a street hawker who was critically injured after being shot at close range during the June 17 protests in Nairobi, has died.

According to family spokesperson Emily Wanjira, Kariuki passed away on Monday at 3:15 p.m. while receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), where he had been admitted since the day of the incident.

“It is true he passed on more than an hour ago. The family will give you more details,” confirmed a hospital official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Earlier on Sunday, Wanjira had revealed that the family was contacted by the hospital at midnight on Saturday and informed that Kariuki had been declared brain dead. He had been kept on life support.

Officers Suspected of Shooting in Custody

Two police officers linked to the shooting, which was captured on camera and widely circulated, are currently in custody as investigations continue. The officers — Klinzy Barasa Masinde and Duncan Kiprono — were arrested by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) on June 18 and booked at Capitol Hill Police Station.

They were formally detained on June 19 for 15 days to allow the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to conduct thorough investigations. Authorities have indicated that the officers are likely to face murder charges.

The DCI had requested an additional 21 days to finalize investigations, including ballistic analysis of the officers’ firearms, forensic review of CCTV footage, chemical analysis of samples from the scene, and collection of witness statements — including from Kariuki, who had remained unresponsive and unable to speak due to his critical condition.

Kariuki Shot While Fleeing Police Dispersal

According to Corporal Nahshon Zoka from the Homicide Bureau at the DCI, Kariuki was shot along Mondlane Street in the Nairobi city center as police moved to disperse demonstrators. Good Samaritans rushed him to KNH, where he underwent emergency surgery and was admitted to the ICU in a critical state.

His death is expected to intensify public outcry over the excessive use of force during peaceful demonstrations and may place further scrutiny on the conduct of law enforcement during protests.