Police in Kisumu have arrested a man they believe is part of an armed gang following a shootout near Patel Samaj Temple along Otieno Oyoo Street early Tuesday morning.
According to police reports, officers on patrol grew suspicious after they noticed a man carrying a bulky bag near the temple. When they approached, the suspect allegedly pulled out an assault rifle and opened fire on the officers.
The man then fled into the temple compound, where he had reportedly robbed a security guard of his mobile phone and other personal items before tying him up with a piece of cloth. From inside the building, he allegedly continued firing at police officers, forcing residents and worshippers in the area to seek cover.
Kisumu Central Deputy Police Boss Bakari Mwanauli said the suspect hid inside a water tank on the roof of Patel Sarmaj building.
Police later subdued the suspect, identified as 21-year-old Kelvin Oduor alias Kevo, after an exchange of fire and recovered an AK-47 rifle and five rounds of ammunition. Officers arrested the man and are holding him at Kisumu Police Station, where he is undergoing interrogation.
Authorities say they will arraign him in court once they complete investigations, as efforts continue to trace two other suspects who they believe escaped the scene.
The incident comes amid intensified police operations targeting armed gangs across the country.
On May 22, 2025, police arrested three Ugandans and one Kenyan suspected of being behind a series of robberies in Nairobi and Western Kenya, according to Nairobi Regional Police Commander George Seda.
Officers arrested the suspects in Saika, Dandora, and Huruma, where they recovered multiple firearms, including a Falcon pistol with 11 bullets and an AK-47 rifle loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition.
Investigations revealed the Ugandans had entered Kenya through the Malaba border a day before their arrest and were planning another robbery in Eastleigh.
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