Eight suspects bombed an ATM at the Astron Garage on the R82 in Alberton in the early hours of today. Although they did not manage to get their hands on the cash, they did manage to take someone’s life.

Beverley Hardaker, PR manager for WAR Reaction says one of their reaction officers left the Astron Garage earlier when he had to respond to a nearby alarm.

“Our control room then responded to an alert at 01:47 from the United We Stand group of a possible ATM bombing at the Astron Garage and dispatched reaction back to the site.

Hardaker says the reaction officer came under fire when he arrived at the garage and requested backup while keeping an eye on the robbers.

When CPF De Deur members responded to the scene, they discovered that reaction officers from another security company came under fire while in their vehicle.

Two guards were injured while a third was shot and killed. Emergency services were dispatched to the scene and the injured were taken to hospital.

The suspects fled the scene on foot with no cash loss being reported.

Hardaker further says: “WAR Reaction is grateful that our reaction officer was unharmed and we thank United We Stand, CPF, Midvaal Peace Officer and all emergency services that responded.”