Edwin Kagia says that on June 17, Boniface, aged 22, stood with his hands raised in surrender as police clashed with protesters.
“He raised his hands. He did not move,” Edwin recalls, still shaken.
Two officers—one wearing a keffiyeh and carrying a Remington Model 870 pump-action shotgun, walked up to Boniface. One slapped him. Then, without warning, the officer fired at point-blank range.
Boniface collapsed instantly. His masks spilled onto the ground. Bystanders yelled and rushed to help.
Boniface Kariuki carried by protesters after getting shot.
Boniface Kariuki was NOT Armed
Edwin emphasizes that Boniface was unarmed and completely unthreatening:
“He was just trying to hustle honestly. While others were stealing, he was just selling masks.”
Boniface was quickly rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital, where he remains in critical condition. His father, John Kariuki, has visited and confirmed Boniface is alive, contrary to widespread reports that he was dead.
Meanwhile, heartbreaking images of a woman who was hawking alongside Boniface Kariuki breaking down have been circulating on social media.
It is as if she can’t believe that one moment they were working side by side, and the next, he was lying on the ground, shot by police officers meant to serve and protect.
The shooting has sparked national outrage. The hashtag #JusticeForBonifaceKariuki has gone viral as calls for accountability grow louder.
Crucially, the officer seen in the video has since been arrested, according to the National Police Service. They say he will be arraigned soon.
This incident comes amid a wave of protests triggered by the death of blogger Albert Ojwang’ in police custody—and highlights a troubling pattern of high-handedness by security forces.
