A suspect carrying an unlicensed firearm was shot and killed by a member of Benoni Flying Squad at the R21 Engen garage while being arrested on Saturday around 2.45pm.
A shot went off while the suspect struggled with the officer to get his confiscated gun back.
W/O Grant Giblin, spokesperson for Benoni Flying Squad, said a flying squad member noticed the man as he got out of a white Sprinter bus while other officers were attending to theft allegations on board the vehicle.
“The bus driver approached the officials because passengers alleged a cellphone was stolen on the vehicle,” said Giblin.
While this was ongoing, the armed man was spotted exiting the bus.
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“An officer approached the suspect and asked to see a licence for the firearm, but the suspect could not produce one. The officer confiscated the firearm and noticed it had no serial number.”
The suspect was placed under arrest and led to a police car.
“The man started fighting with the officer in an attempt to take back his firearm. Both the suspect and the officer fell to the ground, resulting in the suspect being fatally wounded.”
Giblin said a 9mm pistol with no serial number, two magazines and 30 live rounds of ammunition were recovered on the scene. Cases of attempted murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm are being investigated.
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