A mission to rescue a woman who was kidnapped and raped turned tragic after a gunfight ensued.

The 26-year-old woman was shot in the thigh and leg as police tried to rescue her from two rapists near Nairobi’s Northern Bypass.

According to police and her relatives, Mary Wanjiru was kidnapped from her house in Nairobi’s Zimmerman estate and taken to a thicket near the Northern bypass, where two men assaulted her.

Rape victim killed during daring rescue in Nairobi

Her friend called police to report the news of the kidnap and officers went to the scene to rescue the woman.

Daring rescue

Police ambushed the rapists and one of the attackers shot at the police forcing the officers to engage them in a shoot out.

Officers realized the victim had been shot and was bleeding profusely and rushed her to the Jacaranda Maternity Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.

The suspect with the gun managed to flee the scene while police captured his accomplice who is currently in custody.

File image of police at a crime scene

A police search was conducted at the scene and recovered spent cartridges of a pistol and AK 47 rifle.

Nairobi police boss Rashid Yakub said they recovered two sets of spent bullets – from a pistol and a rifle – which will be analysed as part of the probe into the incident.