Contradicting details over how Somali man was shot dead at the entrance of US embassy in Nairobi

By: Abdikadir Okash (@abdikadirokash)

NAIROBI—A man was shot dead at the entrance of the United States embassy in Nairobi after he allegedly attacked a paramilitary officer manning the gate.

“The man was shot after stabbing a GSU (General Service Unit) officer in the hand and left him with injuries,” said the area police chief, Vitalis Otieno.

American security officers inspect the body of a man shot dead by police after he allegedly stabbed one of them on Thursday. PHOTO: Herman Kariuki for Reuters

That account by the police chief contradicts eyewitness and journalist account who reported that, “The officer who was stabbed was bleeding heavily from several wounds on his face, but he was able to walk to a nearby hospital,” according to the New York Times.

Witnesses said the assailant had walked up to the officer, pulled out a knife and began shouting: “Why? Why? Why?” before he stabbed the officer in the face, and the officer struggled to push him away.

According to police statement the man—24-year old Abdimahat Ibrahim Hassan from Wajir—had been walking towards the US embassy and was close to the public entrance to the visa section when he attempted to grab a gun from one of the officers.

“A scuffle ensued during which the man reportedly pulled out a knife and stabbed one officer before being shot in the head by another,” the statement elaborated.

Karin Sjostedt said she had saw the knife attack from her car parked nearby.

“My boyfriend and I also witnessed the event from a car 10-15 meters away. We saw the knife and the stabbing,” she recounted.

Other witness we spoke to say the police officers shot the assailant in the head after he was down.

No official pre-attack account has been revealed and it remains unclear if the assailant had been irritated by the American embassy personnel or the police manning the entrance of the building.

Officials at the US embassy in Nairobi declined to comment on what transpired at their premises, insisting that, “No embassy personnel was harmed nor involved.”