In what can only be described as a bloody Saturday, three armed response officers were attacked and robbed of their firearms in three separate incidents in the southern suburbs last night.
Police say preliminary evidence points toward the men having been targeted for their weapons.
According to Lieutenant Col Marnus Fourie, Claremont Vispol commander, the first incident took place in Wynberg on Saturday night, 23 July, when two men attacked and robbed an armed response officer of his firearm.
The suspects drove away from the crime scene in their white VW Polo.
Fourie says the patroller sustained slight injuries. The next incident took place in Surrey Road, Claremont, at 21:19.
Fourie says the armed response officer, 38, was patrolling in his vehicle when a white VW Polo approached from the opposite side and stopped in front of him. Two men got out of the car.
“Unfortunately for the guard, another private vehicle was behind him and blocked his escape,” he says.
Fourie states the two suspects tried to open the doors of the armed response vehicle.
“One suspect produced a pistol and fired two shots into the passenger side door of the vehicle, hitting the guard in his side. The second suspect managed to open the driver’s door and the males robbed the guard of his pistol.”
The two suspects then got into their vehicle and left.
The injured armed response officer drove to the Village Cafe on 1st Avenue, Harfield Village, where he raised the alarm. Upon the police’s Claremont Sector Team’s arrival, an ambulance was summoned which transported him to the hospital.
A message posted on the Harfield Village Community Improvement District’s Facebook page today said the officer was in a stable condition “when we last heard”.
But the worst was yet to come.
“While the Claremont officers were waiting for an ambulance, another shooting incident was received at 21:50,” Fourie says.
Responding to the scene at the demolished bowling clubhouse in Herschel Close, officers from the Claremont Crime Prevention Unit found another armed response officer, 50, robbed and shot.
Discovered slumped in his armed response vehicle, the patroller had sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his body.
“The male was found slumped in his vehicle. Upon the ambulance’s arrival, the guard was declared deceased. His pistol was also taken,” says Fourie.
The three scenes were cordoned off last night for crime scene investigation and evidence collection. Both armed response vehicles have been impounded for evidence collection.
“Claremont Police would like to send our condolences to the families and next of kin of the victims of the shooting and our solidarity with the armed response company, our valued and respected partner in the fight against crime,” Fourie said.
- Witnesses to any of the incidents are asked to contact Detective WO Witbooi on 079 894 0144 or Detective WO Tukawyo on 079 894 1564.
