Police Constable shot, narrowly escapes death
A 42 year-old Constable based in Hendrina sustained a gunshot wound while on duty yesterday.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, has raised serious concern about the attack launched against police officials after the shooting of the Hendrina officer follows so closely on the fatal stabbing of a Warrant Officer (57) in Kwamhlanga.
According to a media statement issued by the SAPS, the Hendrina police received a tip-off about four suspicious looking people in a park behind the Hendrina Post Office.
When the officers on duty approached the group, they fled in different directions spurring the officers to pursue them.
During the pursuit, one of the suspects allegedly took out a firearm and shot at the constable, grazing him in the leg and riddling the police vehicle with bullet holes.
The officers continued in their pursuit and with the help of community members, they managed to arrest one suspect, aged 34 from Witbank.
The suspect was found in possession of a firearm with its serial numbers filed off as well as eleven rounds of live ammunition.
He is expected to appear in the Hendrina Magistrate’s Court today facing charges of attempted murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm with ammunition.
