Kenyan Man Bidan Mburu Killed by a Stray Bullet in the US

A 22-year-old Kenyan man, Bidan Mburu, was fatally shot last week in Greenwood City, Indiana, after being struck by a stray bullet during a domestic dispute in a residential parking lot.

Mburu was returning home from work when a man allegedly fired a gun at his partner during an argument. The bullet missed its intended target and hit Mburu in the head. According to local authorities, he was rushed to Methodist Hospital by bystanders but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Originally from Maili Sita in Bahati, Nakuru County, Mburu had lived in the United States since childhood after his mother secured permanent residency. He was employed and living independently at the time of his death, while remaining closely connected to his mother, who resides in the US.

News of his death reached family members in Kenya through social media. His cousin, Peter Kimani, said the family first learned of the incident after seeing an online post about a fatal shooting involving someone with a familiar name. 

Confirmation came shortly afterwards from Mburu’s mother. The death has left both families, those in the United States and those in Kenya, in deep grief. In Nakuru, relatives and neighbours have been gathering to offer condolences. In the US, Mburu’s mother is reportedly struggling to cope with the sudden loss of her first-born son.

Due to financial constraints, the family has been unable to repatriate Mburu’s body to Kenya. He is scheduled to be buried in the United States on Saturday. Several relatives in Kenya who had hoped to attend the funeral were denied visas, adding to the family’s distress. 

“We just want to say goodbye to him, but even that is being denied,” Kimani said.

Mburu’s journey to the United States began when his mother won a green card and left him in the care of relatives in Nairobi. They were later reunited after she secured the necessary documentation. His last visit to Kenya was in March 2022.