A suspected illegal miner was killed during a shoot-out with police while 11 others were arrested in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg, on Wednesday.
“Police officers in Boksburg received a complaint of a person who had been shot in an open field. As the police arrived, they saw a group of suspected illegal miners,” said police spokesperson Lt Col Mavela Masondo.
He said a shoot-out ensued when the police approached the group of armed men.
“Eleven suspects were apprehended with the assistance of a police chopper and one suspect was critically injured and later succumbed to his injuries,” Masondo said.
The police recovered three illegal firearms loaded with magazines and more than 70 rounds of ammunition at the scene.
The arrested suspects will be charged with possession of unlicensed firearms, possession of unlicensed ammunition, murder and attempted murder.
They are expected to appear at the Boksburg magistrate’s court in due course.
TimesLIVE
Suspected illegal miner killed during shoot-out with police, 11 arrested
A suspected illegal miner was killed during a shoot-out with police while 11 others were arrested in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg, on Wednesday.
“Police officers in Boksburg received a complaint of a person who had been shot in an open field. As the police arrived, they saw a group of suspected illegal miners,” said police spokesperson Lt Col Mavela Masondo.
He said a shoot-out ensued when the police approached the group of armed men.
“Eleven suspects were apprehended with the assistance of a police chopper and one suspect was critically injured and later succumbed to his injuries,” Masondo said.
The police recovered three illegal firearms loaded with magazines and more than 70 rounds of ammunition at the scene.
The arrested suspects will be charged with possession of unlicensed firearms, possession of unlicensed ammunition, murder and attempted murder.
They are expected to appear at the Boksburg magistrate’s court in due course.
TimesLIVE