A 35-year-old man linked to an attempted carjacking and shooting incident captured in a viral video has been arrested in KwaDabeka, reports Highway Mail.

The incident, involving a Pinetown father and his two children, has caught international eyes and headlines after the video surfaced on social media last week showing the man exchanging gunfire with armed men in his driveway.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Paul Magwaza said Pinetown detectives are investigating a case of attempted carjacking and three counts of attempted murder following an incident on October 9 at Manors, Pinetown.

It is reported that on the day of the incident a father and his two children were reversing out of their driveway when unknown suspects alighted from the vehicle behind them.

One of the suspects allegedly started firing shots towards the father, who returned fire and fatally wounded one suspect.

“Following further investigation, information led Pinetown detectives to KwaDabeka, where a 35-year-old suspect was arrested. The suspect was found in possession of an unlicensed firearm and 14 rounds of ammunition.”

“The suspect was charged for attempted carjacking, three counts of attempted murder cases, as well as possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition. He will appear at the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, October 27,” reported Magwaza.

Hailed a hero

The man has been hailed a hero for fighting back while protecting his family. A BackaBuddy campaign has also been set up for the father.

Always be on alert

Marshall Security’s Andreas Mathios said they consistently try  and educate the community to be alert about how quickly a hijacking takes place.

Mathios, who was one of the first people to openly commend the man and praise him for his heroic act, said during a hijacking decisions have to be made on the spur of the moment and this could be the difference between life or death.

He advised that if you are accosted by hijackers and you are not trained in using a firearm, do not make eye contact.

“Submit, hand over the vehicle and walk away from the scene of the crime as quickly and as safely as possible with your hands in the air, showing the suspect that you mean no harm and walk away.

“Hijacking is a very traumatic situation, not only for the victim, but for the families who witness it. And my advice is to always seek professional trauma counselling at any given cost, no matter what the situation is, when you become a victim of crime, especially young children. They need to see a trauma counsellor as quickly as possible,” said Mathios

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