Five people were injured when a gang of armed men opened fire during the opening of the Springs Mall in Ekurhuleni on Thursday morning.

Two of the injured were police officers‚ said William Tladi‚ spokesperson for the Ekurhuleni Disaster Management Services.

“One police officer sustained a gunshot wound to the shoulder and was airlifted to Union Hopsital for further medical care while the other member sustained a gunshot wound to the hand‚” Tladi said.

A woman who was present at the scene was shot in the stomach. She was in a serious but stable condition and had been admitted to the Far East hospital.

“Two other patients with minor injuries were privately transported to hospital prior to the arrival of emergency services‚” Tladi said.

One of them was a pregnant woman who was believed to have fallen down while trying to escape following the gunshots.

Meanwhile‚ Alessandro Parodi‚ a reporter for Italian publication‚ La Voce‚ said the incident happened so fast.

“They were opening the mall and just after they cut the ribbon‚ I was busy interviewing the owner of mall. Then we heard someone scream and then gunshots‚” Parodi said.

“People started running. Some ran into shops and wherever they could.”

After the incident‚ he saw two cuffed men‚ lying outside under police guard.

“From what I understand‚ they were trying to rob a place‚” he said. — TMG Digital