The management of police in Gauteng has learnt with sadness of the fatal shooting of one of their own, a Sergeant whose identity cannot be disclosed, pending communication with the immediate family.
It is reported that at approximately 15:00 on Friday 05 October 2018, a police officer based at Crime Intelligence, Johannesburg East was with his wife, an administrative clerk at Cleveland SAPS when the Sergeant was allegedly, fatally hit by a stray bullet at a fast-food outlet off the M2 Highway in Cleveland.
Preliminary reports indicate that a suspect alighted a vehicle at the Shell Ultra City filling station and was aiming at a taxi driver when his firearm allegedly jammed. When the shots finally went off, the targeted victim had escaped and two shots hit the police sergeant and a woman who is recovering in hospital.
The motive for the shooting is yet to be confirmed.
Over and above possible CCTV footage, police are appealing to any persons who might have witnessed the incident to come forward and assist the police with information that might lead to the apprehension of the suspect.
Gauteng Provincial Commissioner of Police, Lieutenant General Deliwe de Lange, has expressed sadness and conveyed her condolences to the family and colleagues of the police officer. "We have lost far too many officers this year and this too, is one too many," lamented the Commissioner.
Lieutenant General De Lange has urged the investigators to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that the suspect who escaped is found and brought to book.