Nairobi — A police officer was shot dead and two others injured in a brazen ambush by armed attackers in the Free Area of Nakuru Town early Monday morning.

According to police, the officers were responding to a distress call around 1 a.m. when they were suddenly ambushed. One officer was shot dead on the spot, while another sustained machete injuries during the violent attack. A third officer also suffered gunshot wounds.

The fallen officer was attached to the Bondeni Police Station. The injured officers were rushed to Nakuru Level Five Hospital, where they are receiving treatment, authorities said.

Following the deadly assault, police launched a manhunt that led to the arrest of two prime suspects and the recovery of a firearm believed to have been used in the attack.

An intensive search for additional suspects is underway as security personnel ramp up operations in the area, which has recently seen a spike in criminal activity.

Police said the recovered weapon will undergo ballistic testing to determine whether it has been linked to other crimes. The two suspects are currently in custody and are being interrogated for information on possible accomplices.

Detectives believe the ambush is the work of a violent gang that has been operating in the area.