The 50-year-old father who allegedly accidentally shot his teenage son outside a school in Johannesburg was inconsolable after the child died.
The man was due to make a first appearance in court on Thursday‚ facing an initial charge of murder.
He told police that he had fallen asleep in his car after dropping off his son at evening classes at a secondary school in Ennerdale‚ Johannesburg‚ on Tuesday. He fired a shot when somebody knocked on the car window and only realised later that it was his son‚ who died on the way to hospital.
The father and his 16-year-old son shared a strong bond‚ a close family friend told the publication on Thursday. Police initially gave the learner’s age as 14 but his family subsequently confirmed that he was 16.
The friend described the teenager as smart and focussed. His father‚ she said‚ “knew how to have fun with his kids‚ taking them out to games‚ movies‚ attending important performances and games. He always took the time to listen to his kids and have a good‚ easy chat with them.”
Dad was inconsolable after son shot at school
The 50-year-old father who allegedly accidentally shot his teenage son outside a school in Johannesburg was inconsolable after the child died.
The man was due to make a first appearance in court on Thursday‚ facing an initial charge of murder.
He told police that he had fallen asleep in his car after dropping off his son at evening classes at a secondary school in Ennerdale‚ Johannesburg‚ on Tuesday. He fired a shot when somebody knocked on the car window and only realised later that it was his son‚ who died on the way to hospital.
The father and his 16-year-old son shared a strong bond‚ a close family friend told the publication on Thursday. Police initially gave the learner’s age as 14 but his family subsequently confirmed that he was 16.
The friend described the teenager as smart and focussed. His father‚ she said‚ “knew how to have fun with his kids‚ taking them out to games‚ movies‚ attending important performances and games. He always took the time to listen to his kids and have a good‚ easy chat with them.”
The teen’s stepmother told the Sowetan ** www.sowetanlive.co.za ** that her husband was inconsolable after the incident and arrived home crying.
“It was at around 8pm when he heard knocking on the window and felt the car being shaken‚” she said. “He panicked and pulled out his gun and shot [his son] in the chest before he realised what was happening.”
“The father was very proud of him‚ dedicated to his education and supported him. He had promised to buy him a laptop to encourage him to continue excelling at school‚” she said.
Police spokesperson Captain Mpande Khoza told SABC television: “We are investigating all angles. We cannot only rely on the stories which were told by the father.
“We have to come up with different versions to understand whether it was negligence‚ whether it was murder‚ whether it was intentional murder‚ whether‚ as he said‚ it was fear as we know that we all live in Joburg where it is not safe for anyone to be in a car at night.”