Police in Nairobi’s South B area gunned down a criminal who defied their order to surrender and opened fire on them.

The incident happened after the thug and his two other accomplices who fled the scene had staged a robbery at Trans-towers building in South B.

The police officers who were conducting their routine patrol in the area caught wind of the robbery and immediately launched a spirited manhunt for the criminals who were operating on a getaway motorbike.

After about an hour of barren search, the officers parked their patrol car by the perimeter wall of the Trans-towers premises and laid an ambush for the criminals.

The officers waited patiently for the criminals and their patience finally paid when the rumbling sound of a motorbike was heard approaching their position.

Once the motorbike appeared, the police shone the bright beam of their patrol car’s headlights on the criminals, sending the trio into confusion and making the rider lose control of the motorbike.

During that time when the rider was fighting to gain control of the motorbike, one criminal fell off the motorbike, leaving the two to an unknown fate.

One officer issued a surrender order to the thugs but the criminal who had quickly gotten up drew a weapon and fired it at the officers, deflating one tyre of the patrol car as he was trying to flee.

His actions prompted the police to return fire and fatally wounding the criminal while his accomplices scampered for safety towards the Shimo la Tewa informal settlements.

Police recovered a pistol from the deceased criminal loaded with three rounds of ammunition.

Ballistics report linked the weapon to several criminal incidents reported in Buruburu, Pipeline and Embakasi areas.

The body of the criminal was moved to the City Mortuary pending identification.

Police are still in search of his accomplices who escaped on the motorbike.