A Gauteng Highway patrol officer responding to a call of a stolen motor vehicle was fatally shot along Jubilee Road in Boksburg this morning (Friday).

The shooter is believed to had fled from a house along Rangeview Road in Dalpark, where law enforcers had earlier raided the property.

According to SAPS acting provincial commissioner, Maj-Gen Tommy Mthombeni, through the collaborative work of the Hawks, trio task team and security structures, they received information about a group of men who were planning to carry out various robberies in the province.

“When the police arrived at the house in the early hours of this morning the suspects tried to evade arrest, however, police managed to arrest 19 suspects while two other suspects were shot dead,” he said.

“Police found three R5 rifles, four AK47s, two pistols and two explosive charges which were ready to be used.

“Police also discovered nine vehicles, four of which were identified as being hijacked or stolen.”

Mthombeni said a suspect allegedly hijacked a woman of her Volkswagen Golf 5 while fleeing from the police.

The police gave chase and the suspect was cornered along Jubilee Road where a shoot-out ensued, during which  the officer was killed.

The arrested suspects will be charged with various crimes including illegal possession of firearms and possession of stolen motor vehicles.