A Johannesburg metro cop is in hospital after trying to kill herself and her children at the weekend‚ the metro police department said on Monday.

“The officer is suspected to have consumed rat poison and then used her service pistol to shoot her eight-year-old son in the left leg as well as her 11-year-old daughter‚ who was shot in the abdomen‚” said chief superintendent Wayne Minnaar.

The incident happened at the officer’s home in Green Village‚ Soweto‚ on Sunday. The officer and her injured children were taken to Tshepo Themba Private Hospital.

“The officer is a widow and is said to have lived only with her two children. Charges against the officer will be determined pending the outcome of the investigation‚ both internally as well as by the SAPS‚” said Minnaar.