KENYA  –  A police officer shot dead his wife and five other people before turning the gun on himself in a shocking incident in Kabete town outside the capital Nairobi.

Neighbors say they heard gunshots in the early hours of Tuesday coming from Benson Imbasi’s house.

After killing his wife, he walked out of his home and shot at seven other people. Five of them died and two are being treated at the national referral hospital, witnesses say.

Imbasi then shot himself in the neck and died on the spot, according to a police report.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) says the “rogue” policeman had been “wielding an AK-47 assault riffle”.

It said three young men and a motorcycle rider at the local market were among those people who were killed. A body of a woman was also found at the scene.

The police have launched an investigation into the matter.