Photos capture shooting of a man by a Kenyan police officer during protests against police brutality

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Photos capture shooting of a man by a Kenyan police officer during protests against police brutality

2025-06-18 18:30 Last Updated At：18:40

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — An Associated Press photographer captured the shooting of a civilian by a Kenyan police officer in the head at close range on Tuesday, during the latest protest against the country’s deadly and pervasive issue of police brutality.

It happened on one of Nairobi's busiest streets, again outraging many Kenyans, who have long witnessed officers shooting or beating protesters and others. Tuesday’s shooting was rare because the officer fired in full view of journalists.

The AP is publishing the photos despite their graphic nature because they show evidence of a police shooting of a civilian.

The man who was shot appeared to be a vendor, not a protester — he fell holding a packet of face masks he was selling.

The photos show officers jumping off a vehicle, with guns.

An officer wearing a face mask fires his gun in the direction of protesters, who are outside the frame of the photo.

The same officer and a colleague run over to the vendor. It's not clear why they approached him, guns drawn, or what was said.

The officers push at the man, who raises his hands toward his face.

As he is shoved and moves away, the man glances back. The officer raises his weapon and shoots at him. The man crumples to the sidewalk.

After the shooting, the officer and his colleague walk away.

The man survived, according to a spokesperson at the Nairobi hospital where he and several others hurt during the protest were taken.

He was not the only one with a gunshot wound, but he quickly came to represent them all.

A senior health ministry official, Patrick Amoth, told local media later Tuesday that the man — still unidentified — was in surgery, with a bed on standby in intensive care.

For decades, Kenya's police officers have been accused of extrajudicial killings during protests or with the aim of silencing critics. Watchdog groups in Nairobi keep tallies. Multiple officials have vowed to rein it in.

Tuesday’s protest was over the death in police custody earlier this month of a blogger who a senior police official had accused of defamation.

Later Tuesday, as questions grew about the shooting — “Killer police," one Nairobi headline read — police expressed concern. In a statement, they said the officer had been arrested. Police did not name him, but outraged Kenyans zoomed in on his uniform.

Kenyan President William Ruto, who has promised to halt police brutality, did not immediately comment. The next protest against police abuses is scheduled for June 24.

Thousands of nurses go on strike at several major New York City hospitals

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.