UPDATE: Protection order notification preceded deadly family shooting by SAPS officer
At the scene, police recovered 15 cartridge casings, bullet fragments, a live round, and bottles of petrol.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate has confirmed that an inquest docket has been opened after a Brakpan police sergeant allegedly killed himself and wife following a domestic dispute.
In a statement issued by IPID, it is alleged that on August 25 at about 16:30, the Brakpan SAPS station commander contacted the officer, who was out on a work assignment in the Tsakani area, informing him that they needed to serve him with a protection order, that his wife had obtained against him.
It was also requested that the sergeant hand over his firearm at the police station and provide proof afterwards.
It is stated that the wife decided to stay overnight at her parents’ home after an engagement with police management at the station.
The sergeant allegedly followed the wife to her parents’ home in Brakpan North where he fired shots which fatally wounded his wife, injured two children, the wife’s mother and their domestic worker.
All those who survived were taken to various medical centres for treatment.
After the incident, the sergeant allegedly fled the scene in his car and was located in Secunda, Mpumalanga, through a tracking device.
It is further alleged that when he realised that police were on his trail, he turned the gun on himself.
At the crime scene, 15 cartridge cases were discovered together with eight bullet fragments, one live bullet and two 5lt bottles of petrol.
