News / Africa
Gun battle inside a Kenyan shopping mall
21 Sep 2013 at 10:33hrs | Views
A gun fight inside a shopping centre in the Kenyan capital Nairobi has left at least five people dead, witnesses say.
Police have been exchanging fire with gunmen who stormed the Westgate centre - one of the city's most exclusive shopping malls.
Witness said masked attackers threw grenades into the building at about midday local time (09:00 GMT).
Dozens of shoppers fled. At least four people are wounded. A number of others are trapped inside.
Nairobi police chief Benson Kibue told AP news agency that the gunmen had been trying to rob a shop within the mall when the shooting began.
Dutch embassy employee Rob Vandijk told AP that he had been eating at a restaurant in the centre when gunmen threw hand grenades inside the building.
He said machine-gun fire then rang out, and people dropped to the ground.
Shopping centre security guards used shopping trolleys to wheel out several wounded children and at least one man, AP reports.
"The gunmen tried to fire at my head but missed. There are definitely many casualties," Sudjar Singh, who works at the shopping centre, told AFP.
"I saw three of the attackers dressed in black and with covered faces and they were carrying heavy rifles," said another witness.
One Nairobi resident, Anupa, who lives near the scene, told the BBC: "I heard the exchange of fire when it happened, and I heard what I thought was a grenade, but I didn't go outside. The whole area is cordoned off."
Armed police took cover behind vehicles outside. "We have officers at the scene trying to get out the group shooting inside," a police official told AFP news agency.
"Officers are approaching the situation with caution because there are innocent civilians inside," he said.
There are fears that there may be some hostages, the NTV channel reports.
The Westgate centre is often frequented by wealthy Kenyans and expatriates. Police have urged residents to stay away from the area.
Police have been exchanging fire with gunmen who stormed the Westgate centre - one of the city's most exclusive shopping malls.
Witness said masked attackers threw grenades into the building at about midday local time (09:00 GMT).
Dozens of shoppers fled. At least four people are wounded. A number of others are trapped inside.
Nairobi police chief Benson Kibue told AP news agency that the gunmen had been trying to rob a shop within the mall when the shooting began.
Dutch embassy employee Rob Vandijk told AP that he had been eating at a restaurant in the centre when gunmen threw hand grenades inside the building.
He said machine-gun fire then rang out, and people dropped to the ground.
Shopping centre security guards used shopping trolleys to wheel out several wounded children and at least one man, AP reports.
"The gunmen tried to fire at my head but missed. There are definitely many casualties," Sudjar Singh, who works at the shopping centre, told AFP.
"I saw three of the attackers dressed in black and with covered faces and they were carrying heavy rifles," said another witness.
One Nairobi resident, Anupa, who lives near the scene, told the BBC: "I heard the exchange of fire when it happened, and I heard what I thought was a grenade, but I didn't go outside. The whole area is cordoned off."
Armed police took cover behind vehicles outside. "We have officers at the scene trying to get out the group shooting inside," a police official told AFP news agency.
"Officers are approaching the situation with caution because there are innocent civilians inside," he said.
There are fears that there may be some hostages, the NTV channel reports.
The Westgate centre is often frequented by wealthy Kenyans and expatriates. Police have urged residents to stay away from the area.
Source - BBC
