An attacker shot by the Kenyan police in front of the American Embassy

The shot rang right in front of the American Embassy on thursday afternoon.

The knife wielding assailant attacked an armed Kenyan officer guarding an entrance to the American Embassy's visa section, which was closed at the time.

Kenyan capital is hardly known as the safest city in the region, but this attack was happening outside one of the most heavily fortified building in East Africa, on a congested street, with diplomatic cars stuck in Traffic right nearby.

Witness said the assailant had walked up to the officer pulled out a knife and began shouting "why? why? why?, he stabbed the officer in the face, and the other officer struggled to push him away, One witness said the men tumbled and the assailant landed on top of the officer.

The officer a member of the General service Unit, a paramilitary branch of the kenyan police entrusted with guarding embassies and other installations in kenya, was carrying an assault riffle, he jerked up his weapon and at least 4 shots were fired.

People jumped behind cars, others hit the pavement, motorists ducked behind their steering wheels, police officers sprinted from different directions, their own kalashnikovs cocked. When the alarm klaxons started wailing, American diplomats crawled underdesks and tables.

 The assailant later identified as a 24 years old man from north eastern kenya, lying motionless on the sidewalk, bleeding profusely when a witness said one of the police officers stood over him and shot him once at point blank range in the head.