Resident escapes stray bullet
A braai could have ended badly for a Kensington family following a number of gunshots fired close by.
Believing her guardian angel must have held her back, Mrs Jacqui Vermaak is thankful one of the bullets did not strike her.
Mrs Vermaak and her family were having a braai on May 24 in Vulcan Street when the incident occurred.
“We were having a braai in the garden. I went down to our flat to fetch my laptop and as I walked into my bedroom, I heard the first three gunshots. As this does happen from time to time in the area, I did not think too much of it although it did sound a lot closer than at other times.
“I was walking towards the door to return to the braai when the second three shots were fired. These were so loud the shooter had to be close. I was on the verge of stepping out the door when this happened. My guardian angel must have held me back for a split second because one of the bullets must have hit somewhere close to me as a fragment of the bullet ricocheted off the open security gate and into my face,” she said.
A startled Mrs Vermaak screamed while slamming the door closed.
“What happened next terrified me more. On hearing my scream straight after the shots were fired, my mom, husband, children and their friend rushed towards me in a panic. All I could think was if the man was still standing in the street, he could shoot any one of them,” said Mrs Vermaak.
After a while, some of the family members went into the street to see if anyone had been shot.
“My daughter saw a man running away but could not give any details of what he looked like,” said Mrs Vermaak.
Mrs Sandi van Tonder, Mrs Vermaak’s mother, said she was shocked at what had happened.
She reported the incident and within minutes two police officers arrived.
Mrs Vermaak said they confirmed it was a bullet fragment.
“The next day my father found this casing in the street,” she said.
Mrs Van Tonder said she and the family thanked that God Mrs Vermaak was not hit by one of the bullets.
“She sure was in shock and so were we. You think you are having a braai behind closed doors and everything is fine, but it seems you are not safe anywhere. It is like living in the wild west, it is so scary,” said Mrs Van Tonder.
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