Police officers on Sunday gunned down two thugs at Kihunguro, Ruiru, in Kiambu County.Ruiru police boss James Ng’etich said they were part of a four-man gang that robbed an Uber taxi driver of his vehicle in Athi River.

Ng’etich said one robber died on the spot while the other succumbed to gunshot wounds while he was being taken to the hospital.

One thug, who had been shot three times, fled to the nearby Israel Assemblies of God Church and hid.

He pleaded with the faithful to hide him from the cops. Pastor Peter Maina said the service was halted when the man, who was bleeding profusely, entered the church.

“We heard gunshots while worshipping. A bleeding man came into the church. But in less than two minutes, police officers entered the church and asked the man to surrender,” Maina said.

“I pleaded with the cops not to shoot him since he had sought refuge in a church. But the police dragged him out and shot him."

Terrified worshippers watched in horror as the events unfolded.

Another Pastor Bedan Ng’ang’a said they cleaned blood stains in the church and prayed to "cleanse" the sanctuary.

Ng’etich told the Star the taxi driver had been hired in Lang’ata on Saturday night to pick up a sick person in Athi River.

When they reached their destination, they were joined by three armed men.

“They bundled the taxi driver in the back seat and drove around with him before dumping him at a quarry unhurt. We traced the vehicle in Kihunguro because it has a car track,” Ng’etich said.

The police boss said officers laid an ambush, and when the thugs spotted them they drew a pistol and fired at the cops who fired back.

Pastor Ng'ang'a told the youth to desist from engaging in crime and receive salvation.

Kihunguro residents praised police from fighting crime in the area. They said the thugs had turned the area into their hideout.

Resident Philip Mwaniki said a few years the areas was a no-go zone as attacks were rampant. He said police are doing a good job.