Police in Meru County are searching for an unidentified gunman who shot dead a 16-year-old boy as he walked home with two friends in the Selenite area, in an attack that has left investigators without a clear motive.

The shooting happened on Saturday, October 24, 2026, according to police accounts reported by The Star and Nairobi News. The three teenagers had gone to Gitimbine to buy miraa and were on their way back when a man intercepted them near Selenite.

Stopped, questioned, then shot

Police said the man questioned the boys before drawing a firearm and firing at them. The teenagers scattered in different directions as they ran for safety.

It was only later, after a boda boda rider informed the surviving boys that their friend had been hurt, that they learned he had been shot. Nairobi News identified the victim as Munene.

Officers who visited the scene found the boy's body with a gunshot wound and a corresponding exit wound on the chest. Police also noted a trail of blood nearby, which investigators believe may point to a secondary crime scene, suggesting the boy may have moved or been moved after he was hit.

No motive, no suspect

"Police are yet to establish the motive for the shooting or identify the suspected gunman," the police report said, according to The Star. No arrest had been made by Tuesday, October 27, as investigations continued.

Detectives are expected to interview the two surviving teenagers, who are key witnesses, as well as the boda boda rider and residents of the area. Investigators will also seek to establish what kind of weapon was used and whether it was legally held.

The body was taken to the Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination, which should help establish the exact cause of death and the trajectory of the bullet.

Questions over illegal guns

The killing of a minor by a gunman who stopped and questioned the boys before firing raises concern among residents about the circulation of firearms in the area.

The incident was among several deaths reported to police across the country over the weekend. In Migori, the body of an unidentified man estimated to be about 30 years old was found floating in River Migori at Apida, with bruises and a swollen head that police said could be consistent with contact with rocks. In Mandera, the body of a 20-year-old Ethiopian herdsboy was found with a deep cut on the neck in a thicket in the Barkitichmtu area, according to The Star.

Members of the public with information about the Meru shooting can report it at the nearest police station or through the DCI's anonymous reporting channels.

Photos: The Star (police vehicle at a crime scene, file).