Assailants kill 2 family members, injure 2 others in brutal night attack in Tharaka Nithi

Police in Tharaka Nithi County have launched investigations into the brutal killing of two family members who were shot dead at close range during a violent raid by armed gangsters in Kamwimbi area, Igambang’ombe Sub-County, on Thursday evening, May 22, 2026.

The chilling attack, which bears the hallmarks of a premeditated execution, has left residents in shock and mourning as detectives pursue the assailants who remain at large.

According to police reports, six attackers armed with a firearm and crude weapons stormed the home of Vivian Wawira Nyaga at around 7pm, causing panic and chaos within the compound.

The gang is said to have first attacked David Muchiri, 32, near the entrance of the homestead, fatally shooting him before firing several gunshots into the air to disperse residents and neighbours who had rushed to the scene.

The attackers then forced their way into the house where they fatally assaulted Deborah Muthoni Nyagah, 68, who had reportedly been staying at her daughter’s residence.

Two other people sustained serious injuries during the attack.

Duncan Namu, 34, suffered severe neck injuries, while Shadrack Lungumen, a watchman at the home, sustained a gunshot wound to the left leg as he attempted to respond to the commotion.

Tharaka Nithi County Police Commander Zaccheus Ng’eno said preliminary investigations indicate the attackers managed to gain access into the heavily guarded compound after allegedly killing one of the gatekeepers who had responded to screams outside the gate.

Speaking after recording statements with detectives at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) offices in Chuka, Wawira’s daughter revealed that one of the injured victims remains in critical condition with a bullet lodged in his head.

The family appealed for urgent specialised medical treatment for the injured as doctors continue to monitor their condition.

Other occupants of the compound, including two househelps, escaped the attack unhurt.

Family members suspect the elderly woman and her daughter may have been the main targets in what they described as a carefully planned mission.

However, the daughter was reportedly admitted to a hospital in Embu at the time of the attack.

The injured victims were rushed to Chuka County Referral Hospital for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were moved to the facility’s mortuary pending postmortem examinations.

Ng’eno said investigations into the killings are ongoing as security agencies intensify efforts to track down the attackers.

The family has urged police to expedite investigations, saying they fear for their safety following the brutal incident.