Shots were fired at the Carlswald shopping mall in Midrand in the north of Johannesburg on Thursday when a group of men tried to rob a cell phone outlet.

“I almost got shot. I was at the Wimpy when the robbers came out shooting and tried to hijack a white Audi. The driver of the Audi drove away and everyone hit the floor‚” said a witness‚ Lindokuhle Gumede.

According to Gumede‚ over 10 shots were fired.

“I saw about five men running around with guns and they were not even wearing balaclavas. Ten to 15 bullets were shot. I was crawling. Everyone’s lives were in danger. The police responded on time and‚ as we speak‚ some of the men were arrested. The Lever Road has been blocked off by the cops‚” he said.

Police spokesperson Kay Makhubele said at least four armed suspects were arrested.

“Police were following a tip-off for a planned business robbery in one of the cell phone companies. The police were on top of the suspects when they tried to undertake the robbery. As part of the events‚ they then tried to hijack a woman’s car in the area. The police cornered them and arrested four of them‚” said Makhubele.

“We will open a case of attempted business robbery and possession of illegal firearms. The suspects were found with illegal firearms. We are not sure as to how many they were.”