Suspect shot dead, three arrested in KZN shootout

Major Thulani Zwane said Newlands East police were patrolling around Newlands doing their normal crime prevention duties yesterday when they saw a suspicious-looking vehicle with nine occupants.

Police tried to stop the vehicle, but the occupants jumped out and allegedly shot at the members, Zwane added.

The suspects ran towards the nearby bushes while shooting at the police, who retaliated, and one suspect was fatally shot, and three suspects were arrested, said Zwane.

Two unlicensed firearms, an AK47 rifle and a pistol were recovered from the suspects.

The arrested suspects, aged between 24 and 28, will appear in the Newlands Magistrates’ Court soon facing charges of possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition.

The recovered firearms would be sent for ballistics tests to establish if they had been used in any other crimes in the country, added Zwane.

KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Mmamonnye Ngobeni regrets the attack on police.

“We will always defend ourselves if criminals attack our members. Our members are killed by ruthless criminals while keeping peace and security in our country, and we will not tolerate such attacks on police officers,” said Ngobeni.

In a separate incident, police shot dead an alleged hijacking suspect and arrested two others during a shootout in Umlazi Mangosuthu Highway, KwaZulu-Natal in January.

The suspects allegedly approached a 39-year-old woman and her son and demanded the vehicle.

The victims, who were believed to be outside the vehicle at the time, became terrified and ran away, calling for help.

The suspects allegedly fled with the car.

Durban Flying Squad members were alerted to the situation and immediately made their way to the V-section on the Mangosuthu Highway, where they tried to stop the suspects, police said.

The suspects opened fire and the police retaliated, fatally wounding a 22-year-old suspect, added police.

– Caxton News Service