Alleged Cape Town robber shoots himself while aiming at cops

An alleged Cape Town robber shot himself while he was aiming for the metro police. He was subsequently arrested.
An alleged Cape Town robber shot himself while he was aiming for the metro police. He was subsequently arrested.
Image: 123RF/scanrail

An alleged robber shot himself while aiming at Cape Town metro police officers.

The alleged assailant was subsequently arrested and is among 143 people who were apprehended over the past few days.

The Cape Town enforcement departments say they issued more than 35,000 fines.

“Officers attached to the law enforcement advancement programme (LEAP) were on patrol in Hanover Park on Friday July 23 when they were approached by a woman who had just been robbed,” the city said in a statement.

A few minutes later, the officers approached a man fitting the description given by the complainant. When he saw the officers, the man allegedly fired at them and as he ran away he fell to the ground and another shot went off.

The officers took cover and the suspect got away.

“Later that night, the officers stopped a vehicle outside the curfew and the woman revealed her boyfriend had been shot. He turned out to be the robber who had fired on the officers and officers arrested him at the Heideveld emergency centre. It just so happens that he shot himself when he fell,” said safety and security mayoral committee member JP Smith.

“When he was discharged, he showed officers where he had hidden the gun. He was arrested for attempted murder and taken to Philippi police station.”

Smith said there had been incident of taxi violence reported on Monday.

“Schools reopened today and we are keeping a close eye on scholar transport and remain vigilant for any incidents that could arise,’ said Smith.

Cape Town said its traffic service arrested 25 suspects, impounded 12 vehicles and 136 cellphones, and issued 33,756 fines.

“During the past week, officers issued 1,630 fines for contravention of the disaster regulations and 1,469 for not wearing masks. Our officers cannot choose which laws to enforce and those who don’t obey will be fined or arrested,” Smith said.

On Sunday, metro police responded to a complaint of a robbery at a tuck shop in Khayelitsha.

“Two men were caught with the stolen goods in their possession and arrested.

“A 54-year-old man was arrested at a vehicle checkpoint in Parklands yesterday for driving drunk, while another drunk driver was arrested in Khayelitsha on Friday.”

TimesLIVE


Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.