nairobi, march 13 (pressTV) -- Enraged crowd engaged police in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi after law enforcement agents allegedly shot dead seven taxi drivers in a Nairobi suburb.

"This is extra judicial killing that our police are engaging in. You can't shoot innocent people like that and say it was a mistake," A Press TV correspondent quoted a local resident Jason Onduso as saying on Thursday.

The seven taxi drivers were allegedly killed by police Wednesday night after they received an apparent false alarm identifying the drivers as part of a criminal gang that harassed motorcycle-taxi operators in the same suburb.

"It is a mistake and we are investigating because the death of seven people in such circumstances is a serious matter that can not be left to pass. But somebody gave a false alarm to the police that these were members of a terror gang operating in the area," said police Spokesperson Erick Kiraithe.

A taxi operator in the area has also pointed to the recent angry squabbles between motorcycle and automobile taxi operators over customers.

"We have had issues here over pricing and control of the area and on the night of Wednesday, we engaged in a scuffle and somebody told the police we were thugs and now they have shot seven people who are very innocent," said James Kamau, a local taxi operator.

Meanwhile, another Police source, speaking on condition of anonymity, has insisted that the security forces responded to gunfire by 'thugs.'

"These were thugs and they had guns and engaged our officers in a shoot out before they were gunned down. They were not innocent as people want to claim," the police source claimed Thursday.