Bystander dies in a shoot-out between the police and armed robbers
One of the four bystanders that were mistakenly shot during a police shootout and armed robbers on the R56 has succumbed to a bullet wound. The terrific incident happened on Wednesday on the R56 road between the Municipal offices and the Home Affairs Offices in Matatiele, Eastern Cape.
According to SAPS Provincial Spokesperson Brigadier Thembinkosi Kinana, the incident began in Cedarville when five male suspects aged between 28 and 39 burst into the Cedarville post office pretending to be customers. Kinana said the suspects were spotted by a police officer who was approaching the post office for a routine visit. The officer was alerted about the incident by the bystanders. On realising that the police officer was nearby the suspects started firing shots as they drove away, and the SAPS member retaliated and called for backup assistance from the Matatiele police…
“During the chase, members of the SAPS in Matatiele managed to stop the suspects’ vehicle and all four suspects were subsequently arrested whilst the other one jumped out of the vehicle and escaped towards Matatiele Magistrate Court in town, shooting randomly and towards police officers. There was an exchange of gunfire between the police and the suspect which left the suspect fatally wounded. As the suspect was shooting randomly in town, about four (4) bystanders were seriously injured and were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention including the fourth suspect who also sustained gunshot injuries during the shooting with the police,” said Kinana
The suspects are expected to appear before the Matatiele Magistrate Court on Friday for bail application.
