UPDATE: Policewoman fatally shoots herself at hospital
The incident occurred in the toilet in the paediatric ward.
TOTI SAPS released a media statement regarding the fatal shooting at Kingsway Hospital early on Thursday morning, 13 August.
“At about 4.40am police official, Constable Baphumelele Tracey Sibiya (35) shot herself in the toilet in the paediatric ward at Kingsway Hospital. She sustained a gunshot wound to her head and was rushed to the emergency room where she received treatment, but was declared dead at 6.30am,” said Toti SAPS communications officer, Capt Charlene van der Spuy.
“On Tuesday, 4 August there was an incident at her home in Umlazi, where her four-year-old daughter was accidentally burnt and admitted to the paediatric ward at Kingsway Hospital.
During her daughter’s treatment, she was staying at the hospital. On Thursday at about 4.40am, the nurse came into the room to administer medication to her daughter and found Sibiya in the toilet. The nurse called out to her, to inform her that she needed to give medication to her daughter. As she did not respond, the nurse tried to open the toilet door but she prevented her from entering.”
According to Van der Spuy, the nurse went back to the bed and she heard a loud bang from inside the toilet. Sibiya was found with a gunshot wound to her head, with her service pistol next to her.
She was alone in the toilet during the incident.
She was attached to the detective unit at Folweni SAPS.
An inquest docket was opened at Amanzimtoti SAPS for further investigation.
