Cop killed by robbers in Soweto
A police officer was killed and two others seriously wounded during two separate shootings with robbers.
|||Johannesburg - A police officer was killed and two others seriously wounded during two separate shootings with robbers on Thursday night.
In Meadowlands, Soweto, a police officer was killed and a second seriously wounded during a robbery.
According to SAPS Gauteng provincial spokeswoman Colonel Noxolo Kweza, the two police officers were shot at when they went to buy food at a shop opposite the mall.
“The two walked into a robbery and were both shot and injured. They were taken to hospital. The members are a constable and a reservist sergeant. The constable died on arrival in hospital.”
Kweza said the suspects escaped with cash from the robbery and a service pistol of one of the officers.
Police investigations are continuing.
In Katlehong a police officer was shot while in pursuit of several robbers following a hijacking, Katlehong police spokesman Captain Mega Ndobe.
Katlehong police were chasing a white Mercedes Benz hijacked near the Turffontein race course.
“When the police were closer to the vehicle, the suspects started shooting at the police. Police officers shot back, a suspect was shot on the upper body and a police sergeant was shot on the arm,” he said.
“The police officer was taken to hospital in a stable but serious condition while the injured suspect was also escorted to hospital under police guard,” Ndobe said, adding that the man would be charged with possession of a hijacked motor vehicle and attempted murder.
He said that a second suspect escaped on foot and that police are searching for him.
Acting Gauteng police commissioner Major-General Norman Taioe said the killing of police officers was not acceptable.
“I appeal to communities to come forward with any information that could assist bring the perpetrators to book. Police are here to protect the communities and not to be attacked,” he said.
According to police statistics released this week, so far this year 37 police officers have been killed across the country, with Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal topping the list with 10 cops killed in each province.
In Gauteng, five off-duty cops and five on-duty cops were killed.
There have also been at least 712 attacks on police officers across the country in the last six months. The Western Cape topped the list with 274 attacks on police officers this year alone.
Gauteng has experienced a total of 79 attacks on police officers, with 65 of those attacked being on-duty police officers.
Hawks spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi told The Star on Friday morning: “Police killing is high on list of priorities and our teams will not rest until we arrest the suspects. We view the killing is a crime against the state and therefore no stone will be left unturned to the people responsible.”
Mulaudzi said the Hawks have most recently managed to arrest suspects in the Western Cape and are also “on the verge of cracking” a 2014 police case in the same province.
“We call communities to rally with the Hawks and police and to supply any information that lead to the arrest of the perpetrators.”
He encouraged anyone with information to call the Hawks toll free number 08600 10111, adding that all information received would be treated with the strictest confidentiality.
ilanit.chernick@inl.co.za
@lanc_02
The Star