A shootout occurred between police and suspects near a petrol station in the vicinity of the Pavilion Shopping Mall in Westville, Durban.
Image: ALS Paramedics
A dramatic early-morning pursuit by officials from a security company in Westville ended with two suspects dead following a high-speed chase and a violent confrontation at a petrol station near the Pavilion Shopping Centre on Thursday.
The SAPS have confirmed that they are investigating a case of murder and attempted murder following the altercation.
According to ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson, emergency services were called to the scene at around 6.30am after reports of a shooting incident.
When paramedics arrived, officers from the South African Police Service, emergency medical teams and private security officials were already at the scene.
It emerged that there were three occupants in a BMW vehicle at the the time, who were allegedly involved in a high-speed chase with police and private security before the pursuit ended at the petrol station along Spine Road.
Police cordoned-off a petrol station in the Westville area, near the Pavilion Shopping Mall, after a shoot-out with suspects.
Image: ALS Paramedics
According to Jamieson, a shoot-out then erupted between the suspects and authorities.
“One of the suspects sustained fatal gunshot wounds during the gun battle,” he said.
The second suspect attempted to evade arrest by jumping over a nearby wall but fell during the escape attempt.
“He tried to flee the scene by jumping over the wall but fell to his death,” Jamieson explained.
A third suspect was not injured during the incident and is believed to have been taken into police custody.
Police cordoned off the area while investigators worked to piece together the exact sequence of events that led to the confrontation.
The SAPS' KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda, confirmed the incident and the deaths.
Netshuinda said: "Reports indicate that a white BMW vehicle with three occupants drove past private security officers who were patrolling the M19 road on Thursday morning. The security guards reportedly followed the vehicle and the occupants of the BMW vehicle opened fire at the security guards.
"This led to high-speed shootout between the occupants of the BMW and security guards, which ended at the fuel station.
"Police's preliminary investigations revealed that the BMW vehicle was fitted with cloned number plates. The driver of the BMW vehicle surrendered and was arrested. Two firearms were found inside the BMW vehicle.
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