A British soldier was killed in Kenya after being ambushed while on a motorcycle trip off base.
According to the UK Ministry of Defence, Maj Kevin McCool, 32, was killed on November 29.
The ministry did not reveal the circumstances behind McCool's death, merely stating that he "tragically died while off-duty" in a statement issued Friday.
According to Sky News, McCool took a bike ride away from the base to prepare for the end of his tour of duty, which was only three days away.
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"He decided to go out on his scrambler motorbike for one last ride up a local mountain. He went up a road, and two guys jumped out at him with a gun,” the father, identified as Joseph, told the broadcaster.
"It seems that he thought the gun was a dummy, he didn't think it was real. He made the mistaken assumption that the gun was artificial, and they shot him."
According to the Ministry of Defense, McCool was commissioned from Sandhurst in August 2014 and deployed to Europe, the Middle East, the Falkland Islands, and Africa.
The ministry regarded him as a "big family man" who was enjoyable to deal with.
"Along with a glittering operational record, he also aced many of the military's most difficult courses," a eulogy read. "His fitness was legendary, once beating the entire Battalion on a two miler, as was his endurance." His energy was contagious."
"He had a mischievous twinkle in his eye that made him a lot of fun to be around." Nonetheless, his professionalism and sense of purpose were important and obvious to those who were fortunate enough to serve beside him."
The main base of the British Army Training Unit in Kenya (BATUK) is at Nanyuki, Laikipia County. It also maintains a tiny presence in Nairobi.
