A 19-year-old man was shot dead outside their house in a robbery in Umoja, Nairobi on Monday morning.
The man identified as James Karuri was shot outside their home.
The incident left his mother Cecilia Karuri, 42 with a bullet wound on Monday morning.
James was shot in the head and died on the spot while the mother had a bullet wound in the chin and was admitted to hospital in serious condition.
Police say preliminary findings had shown the couple had arrived home late after attending a dowry in Nyeri.
On arrival in Umoja, they decided to pass by a local alcoholic joint for a drink before driving home at about 2 am.
While on the way, the man and woman had a domestic quarrel and upon arrival home, the man went upstairs leaving his wife outside the house.
It was then that the deceased man sought to know where his mother was and the father told him she was outside.
A sister to the deceased man told police she and the victim went downstairs and found their mother in the cold shivering and told them she was not in the mood of getting into the house as she had differed with their father.
They tried to beg her to get into the house by even calling their elder sister who was away to talk to her.
At one point, the deceased asked his sister to go to the house and get him his mobile phone as he begged his mother to get into the house.
“The girl says it was cold and the mother was covering herself using a Maasai shuka as they begged her to get into the house,” said a police officer who attended the scene.
It was as the girl went into the house that she heard gunshots from outside.
On rushing back she saw a man holding a gun before he vanished into the darkness.
The gunman did not steal anything from the deceased man and injured woman as he ran away.
Nairobi police boss James Mugera said they do not have a motive for now. He, however, believes the attacker was an opportunistic thug who panicked, pulled the trigger and later escaped without stealing anything from the victims.
“For now it seems to be an opportunistic attack. But our teams are on the ground pursuing the matter,” he said.
Police were called to the scene and picked up the body to the mortuary while the woman was admitted to the hospital in stable but serious condition.
Two spent cartridges were recovered from the scene. Police said they will be subjected to ballistic analysis as part of investigations into the incident.
Locals said they had been confronted by a man with a gun earlier on who they believe was the one behind the shooting.
Explainer: What being a State Witness entails