A long-standing feud over the placement of rubbish bags turned deadly when a man shot and wounded his neighbour on Wednesday night in Verulam‚ outside Durban.

The gunman‚ a Metro Police officer‚ is alleged to have used his service weapon to shoot his neighbour four times after a heated exchange outside their Flamingo Way homes. The policeman is accused of firing almost 12 shots during the shooting‚ almost an entire magazine.

What sparked the shooting spree? A plastic packet which had been blown by wind from one property into another. According to an initial police investigation report‚ the two families had long warred over “rubbish bags” and had argued several times.

Police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said that the 35-year-old policeman was arrested and charged with attempted murder.

Cop shot in face during brazen attack on Cape police stationA sergeant at the Lingelethu West police station in Khayelitsha‚ Cape Town‚ was shot in the face in the early hours of this morning by attackers‚ who entered the police station under the pretext of reporting a robbery. 

“The complainant [the victim] had an argument with his neighbour and the neighbour’s son [the police officer] withdrew his firearm and shot the complainant in the stomach‚” she said.

Reaction Unit South Africa spokesperson Prem Balram‚ who was on the scene‚ said that Wednesday’s fracas was sparked by a single plastic packet — seemingly the last straw in the ongoing feud.

“[The] incident was sparked over a plastic packet that was lying on the road. During the argument the off duty Metro Policeman drew his firearm and fired approximately 12 rounds at his neighbour. Several of the rounds struck the victim’s Kia bakkie while one bullet entered the victim’s abdomen and exited through his back‚” he said.